


The Food of Love

by CatWinchester



Category: Only Lovers Left Alive (2013), Tom Hiddleston - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Polyamory, Tilda Swinton - Freeform, Vampire Sex, Vampires, these vampires dont sparkle, tom hiddleston - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-19
Updated: 2014-07-19
Packaged: 2018-02-05 07:10:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 48,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1809760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatWinchester/pseuds/CatWinchester
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>30 years in the future, Adam journeys to Edinburgh to reunite with Eve but after a disastrous trip and starving for blood, he almost kills Eve's human friend, Lilith. Eve seems determined that they will get along, despite Adam's distaste fro the "zombies" but neither Adam nor Lilith understands why it's so important to her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I’ll be upfront here, I don’t know if this story will be finished. I have a vague plot outline but I’m just not sure if this scenario has legs. Any opinions, thoughts or ideas are welcomed.

**Chapter One**

Adam plucked the note off the front door and read it.

'I'm sorry, my darling, I had to step out for a while. Make yourself at home and I'll be back as soon as I can.

Love Eve.'

Adam sighed; after travelling for four nights, thanks to being delayed by an ash cloud, he was starving but more than that, he wanted to see Eve. Although they had spent a few weeks together, usually Eve visiting him, they had been living apart for over five years.

Still, with any luck he could find her blood supply and quench at least one of his thirsts.

The front door was locked so he looked under the doormat, where he found a key. It was hardly secure, he thought as he stepped inside. It felt very odd to be entering her home without her here but he supposed he did have an invitation, of sorts.

The Victorian villa was lovely, decorated with a mixture of period features and modern furnishings. It was not Eve's usual taste but it was nice. Far nicer than his last home; he hated decorating.

He put his bags down by the front door and looked around as he headed deeper into the house, looking for a kitchen, the most obvious place to check for blood.

Human blood had become harder to come by in recent years. Not only was there more disease, such as Hepatitis T and, HIV type II and III, there were also a lot more drugs, both legal and illegal. If that wasn't bad enough, human, had now developed synthetic blood, so blood donations were almost a thing of the past. Unfortunately, synthetic blood was useless to Adam's kind, having no nutritional value. It would be like a human eating cardboard as a replacement for food, it might sate hunger for a moment, but would eventually result in starvation and death.

He found the kitchen and looked inside the refrigerator, surprised to see it had real food in it. No blood though. A quick look in the freezer compartment showed no frozen blood, although given how cold and wet the Edinburgh climate was usually, that was hardly surprising.

He closed the door and looked through the cupboards, which were filled with more food stuffs. Opening a door off the kitchen, he discovered a small utility room with some white goods in.

"Who the fuck are you and what are you doing in my house?"

He turned to see a redheaded woman standing in the kitchen doorway, a gun aimed at his chest. She was scantily dressed, some kind of yoga gear, minus underwear.

"Put that away," he told her. "You might hurt yourself."

She raised a haughty eyebrow. "Answer my questions."

"Why? Your gun doesn't frighten me."

He saw her look to his hands, which still were still covered with his black driving gloves.

"I'm an excellent shot and the bullets in this gun travel at 500 meters per second. You're fast but are you that fast?"

Adam shook his dead in derision and she smirked.

"Did I forget to mention, the bullets are also made of wood."

His expression hardened, as did hers.

"You must be Eve's familiar." He stated.

"I'm Eve's friend."

"Whatever you call yourself, this isn't your home, it's hers, you're nothing but a guest here, for some strange reason."

"Really? That's odd, because it's my name on the deeds. In fact, this house was built by my great-great-great something or other grandfather. Now get the fuck out before I drastically shorten your so-called eternal life."

"Eve lives with you?" he asked, confused by this turn of events.

"Yes, she does, you however, don't." She fired a shot that embedded itself in the doorframe, level with his head. "You only get one warning shot; time to go."

He was hungry and not at all in the mood to play nice with a zombie but he supposed if he had to…

"I'm Adam."

Hesitation showed on her features.

"Adam who?"

"Krieger."

She examined him for a moment more, then lowered the gun, although she didn't put it away.

"What are you doing in my house at five o'clock in the morning?"

"She didn't tell you to expect me?" He asked. "She knew I was coming."

"I've been away for a few days. I only got back last night so we haven't had had much time to talk."

"She left me a note on the front door."

She went to the refrigerator, which he now noticed, was adorned with magnets, and pulled a folded piece of paper out from under a magnet.

"Looks like I got one too," she said as she finished reading. She stepped closer and looked at him. "You look hungry."

"I am."

"I don't suppose you brought any with you?"

"No. I was looking for her supply when you walked in."

She brought the letter in her hand up and looked at it briefly, then back to him.

"Wait here." She told him, turning away.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"To get you what you need."

He made to follow her and she turned back.

"You stay here."

"I have a right to know where she keeps it."

"You're a guest in my home, you have no rights here."

Faster than she could blink, his gloved hand was around her throat he she was pressed up against the wall.

"Don't tell me what to do, you pathetic zombie." The calmness that said the words with made them all the more threatening. He could feel her pulse racing and smell her fear but she didn't answer. Probably frozen, he decided; zombies were such useless creatures, easily subdued.

"The only reason I haven't pulled the trigger, is because I care about Eve and I know how devastated she'd be."

He realised that the barrel of the gun was pressed against his chest. He must really be starving for him not to have noticed.

Nothing he did could kill her quickly enough to stop her pullingthe trigger, and he couldn't dodge a bullet moving at five hundred meters a second when he was at full strength, let alone in his weakened state.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"I want you to get the fuck away from me, sit at the kitchen table and wait patiently for me to return." To most, her voice sounded strong but Adam could detect the quavering that was a sure sign of her fear. Still, he needed blood and she knew where it was so he was at her mercy, for the time being.

He stepped away and bowed his head in acquiescence, then took a seat at the kitchen table, as she had told him to. After a moment's hesitation, she hurriedly walked away, the gun clutched tightly in her hand.

Adam waited and waited, wondering what was taking her so long. Was she perhaps too frightened to come back? Had she left the house?

Either scenario would upset Eve but she would forgive him eventually, she always did. What worried him was the idea that he might not get the blood he needed. He could feel the lethargy seeping into his bones.

How long had it been, he wondered as his eyes grew heavy. Five minutes? Ten? Hours? He couldn't tell but if he didn't rouse himself soon, he would be reliant on Eve to save him. He hadn't gone this long without blood since travelling to Tangier with Eve, some thirty years ago now.

He hauled himself to his feet and made his way to the stairs in the entrance hall, clinging to the banister as he listened intently to the sounds in the house.

It was exceptionally quiet, so he closed his eyes, focusing, until he could discern the tell-tale sound of breathing. He followed the noise upstairs, the lure of blood giving him a second wind, although it wouldn't last for long. He stopped outside a door and listened, until he was sure that she was inside. Then the scent of blood hit him and his fangs ran out.

The door was locked but he barely noticed as he pushed it open, his hunger creating an intense need within him. What he saw stopped him dead in his tracks. The woman was giving him her own blood, the Tourniquets, blood collection needle in her elbow and clear tube attached to it, were ample evidence of that. The blood bag had been separated from the tube and lay empty and discarded on the table, the blood instead trickling into an oversized hi-ball glass, which was almost full.

"Jesus Christ, don't you knock!"

"You're giving me your blood?" he sounded incredulous.

"Yeah."

His shock momentarily drove his hunger from his mind. "What is this, the fucking dark ages?"

The dark circles under her eyes, probably from being awoken so early, looked worse on her pale face now, which in itself seemed even paler in contract to her vibrant, red hair.

Her blue eyes turned cold and flinty as she pinched the end of the plastic tube closed and removed it from the glass.

"Well if you don't want it…" She grabbed the glass, stood up and headed towards another door.

"Where are you going?" he demanded.

"To tip this down the sink."

Using his vampire speed, he ripped the glass from her hand, causing her to cry out in shock and pain as the force and speed jerked her body around.

"How do I know this isn't contaminated?" he demanded.

He could see her eyes shining with tears, but her expression was venomous, not sad.

"You don't. Now take your contaminated blood and get the fuck out of my house." She ran at him, pushing with both hands.

It didn't have much effect but he went anyway, and she slammed the door closed after him. It wouldn't stay shut, thanks to his breaking the lock, so she dragged something in front of it to keep it closed.

It took every ounce of willpower that Adam had, not to down the contents of the glass in one gulp but as the seconds ticked by, his resolve rapidly left him. So what if it was contaminated, it was better than nothing and the chances were, whatever it was contaminated with wouldn't actually kill him.

He gave in and drank the glass. His hunger was soon replaced with a feeling of euphoria and combined with his lethargy, he fell to the floor where he stood, which just happened to be the hallway outside the woman's bedroom.

* * *

Eve sighed as she took in the scene before her. Gloves still on, Adam lay sprawled on the floor, the large glass of blood he'd been drinking from leaking it's dregs onto the cream coloured carpet, not to mention the splashes from when he dropped it.

The door to Lilith's bedroom had split along the grain of the wood, near the handle, so clearly their meeting hadn't gone well.

Judging by the blood residue on the walls of the glass, Adam had drunk enough to recover from his journey and was still out of it, so she left him where he lay and tapped on Lilith's door.

"Lili? Lilith, darling, are you awake?"

"Come in. You might have to push."

Eve did so and was greeted by a pale and pasty looking Lilith, lying in bed.

A quick look around revealed drops of blood on the floor, leading towards the en suite bathroom, then a pool of more blood, which had been mopped up with a shirt of some description. Eve hurried to Lilith's bedside and sitting on the edge of the bed, cupped the redhead's cheek. The poor girl had a bundle of blood soaked gauze clamped to her elbow with her hand and faint bruiseson her neck.

"Oh, my darling, what happened?"

"You have shit taste in men," Lilith answered, finding a weak smile for her.

"Let me see." She gently pulled Lilith's arms out from under the covers and removed the blood soaked gauze pad, to see that the vein at her elbow had a ragged tear. "What on earth caused this?" she asked, pressing the gauze back over the wound.

"Adam came in while I was bloodletting and we got into an argument. He swore and asked if I was from the dark ages or something, so I went to tip the blood away. The needle was in my right elbow, so I pinched the tube off with my left hand and picked the glass up with my right hand. I knew he'd stop me, I just didn't know he'd almost dislocate my shoulder and as my right arm was jerked away, the needle was torn from the vein."

"Why haven't you dressed it properly?"

"Because he's still out there," she nodded towards the door.

"Did he frighten you?" Eve trailed her fingers over Lilith's neck.

Lilith nodded. "I shouldn't have provoked him but he swanned in here, all high and mighty, like he owned he place and-"

"Hush," Eve placed a finger over her lips. "No amount of provocation makes what he did all right. Understood?"

Lilith nodded.

"Now, tell me what happened?"

"The silent alarm went off, so I pulled some clothes out and got the gun, like you told me. I found him in the kitchen, looking for blood. He wouldn't tell me who he was, and I hadn't seen your note on the fridge, so I fired a warning shot into the wall beside his head. He didn't like that but he told me who he was, and I asked his surname, just to check he's the same Adam you talk about."

"Well done. What happened then?"

"I checked the fridge and found your note. I could tell that he was hungry, I've never seen your eyes that bad before, so I offered to get him some blood."

"You didn't tell him you were my donor?"

"No," she shook her head. "He grabbed me by the throat and demanded to know where you keep the blood."

"What did you do?"

"I held the gun over his heart and said I'd shoot him. I wouldn't have, I couldn't do that to you."

"I think you handled that remarkably well." Eve smiled. "I would just ask one thing though, please don't judge Adam on what he did tonight; we're never more feral when we're hungry and he's gone a day longer than most without eating, he was probably a couple of hours at most, from falling into a coma. He's usually the most placid man you could hope to meet, with nothing more dangerous than a passive aggressive attitude."

Her teasing elicited a smile from Lilith, as it was intended to.

"Have you eaten anything or had any juice?" Eve asked.

Lilith shook her head. "I just want to sleep. I'd only been in bed an hour when…"

"It's all right, you stay here while I get the first aid kit and something sugary."

Eve placed her Lilith's hand over the gauze again, and left the room.

"Adam? Adam?" she called, tapping his face.

"What?" he asked, opening his eyes.

"Come with me." She took his hand, helped him to his feet and led him back to the kitchen before rounding on hm. "What the hell did you think you were doing?" she demanded.

"I'm sorry if I offended your pet zombie."

"Offended? You nearly killed her!"

"Don't be over dramatic."

"Adam, you tore the goddamn needle from her vein, her room is covered with blood and she'll need a transfusion!"

He frowned and looked contrite. "I didn't realise. How long was I out?"

"How should I know? Anyway, make yourself useful, pour a large glass of orange juice, make some toast with butter and jam, then wait here."

Eve turned to leave.

"How am I supposed to make toast?"

"You're a clever boy, you'll figure it out."

Eve retuned a few minutes alter with a medical kit, to see Adam trying to toast bread on the hob.

"Stand back," she told him, turning it off and puting two fresh slices in the toaster.

"Do you want me to go out and find blood for the transfusion?" he asked.

"No. The good thing about this new artificial blood, is that it can be stored at room temperature for up to two years. After that happened to Derek and Ian and Ben, I thought it best to keep a supply handy, so I have enough to completely replace the blood in an adult human."

"You think of everything."

"Evidently not," she said, her tone dark.

"Why do you use a familiar?" he asked.

"Because in the wake of artificial blood, it's getting harder and harder to source good blood."

"But what about contamination, doesn't that bother you?"

"With someone I don't know, yes, but Lilith doesn't take any medications if she can help it, not even paracetamol, and she eats a totally organic, homemade diet, nothing preprepared or laced with chemicals. Trust me, her blood is as clean as a baby's."

The toast popped out of the toaster and she spread it with butter and jam, then cut the slices in half and prepared a tray.

"Take the medical kit up, would you?" she asked as she headed out, tray in hand.

* * *

Adam followed Eve up the stairs and waited just inside the bedroom door as she approached the woman, who he gathered was named Lilith.

He quickly saw that Eve was right, she had lost an astonishing amount of blood and her sheets were covered in it. He also saw that she was now holding her elbow over a bowl, which the blood trickled into.

Eve put the tray down. "Give me the bag," she said, and he handed the medical kit to her, following her around to the empty side of the bed. "Lili? Wake up, darling. Lili?"

Reluctantly, the girl opened her eyes. "I'm tired."

"I know, but we have to give you a small transfusion."

"What's he doing here?" she spotted Adam. "Make him go away."

"I can't, I need his help but it's okay, he won't hurt you, I promise."

Lilith didn't look convinced.

"Do you trust me?"

The girl nodded.

"Then trust me to keep you safe."

She nodded. "I saved some?" she said as her eyes drooped. "Seemed a shame to waste it. Should keep you for a day or two."

"And that's very considerate of you, darling but how We have to dress your wound so it heals."

"Mmm."

"Make sure that blood doesn't spill," Eve told Adam told him, directing him to take care of the bowl.

He did as she said. "Do you want me to dress the wound?" he asked.

"Please." She was inserting a needle into Lilith's arm, which was attached to a bag of artificial blood.

They worked in silence and Adam began to feel awful for the way he had treated her. Sure, she was only a zombie but clearly, she loved Eve to think about saving some of her blood after what had happened. He should not have been so rude, to her but even after he had been, and had threatened her to boot, she was still going to give him some of her blood.

Partly, it wasn't his fault, when he was that hungry, he couldn't control himself as well as usual, but he could control himself with effort, and the fact that he hadn't was his fault.

"Why didn't she just tell me that she fed you?" He asked Eve. It would have made things easier.

"Because she knows how scarce good blood is these days. Given how you'd treated her, I would presume that she was worried you'd tell others, or perhaps even try to sell her on the black market. She wouldn't be the first human to be trafficked among vampires as a blood slave."

"You've told her a lot about us," he observed, bandaging her elbow to keep the dressing in place.

"I had to. Our kind are getting desperate, so it's only fair that she knew the risks she was taking."

"And what if she'd told on us."

"Adam, I've known her for over 15 years and in all that time, she has never threatened to reveal my secret."

"Why not? Did you buy her silence?"

"No." Eve gave him a sharp look. "I earned her loyalty."

"How?"

"By saving her life when she was a teenager."

Adam frowned as he tried to recall their previous discussions. "Is she the girl you told me about during the media riots? The one who was about to be…" he lowered his voice below human hearing range, in case she was still awake, "gang raped?"

"She is," Eve confirmed.

"I thought that happened in London?"

"It did, she'd just started university there but we kept in touch ever since."

"What happened to her attackers?"

"I left them alive but they'll never walk straight again. There's a few things they won't do again, actually."

"So what, you and she just kept in touch?"

"Why not?" she asked with an amused smile.

"If I'd known you were that desperate for company, I'd have come sooner."

"Don't be unkind. I know you dislike humans but some of them have a lot to offer, like the scientists you loved spending time with."

"So what is it about her that makes her so special?"

"Well to begin with, I hung around because I needed to make sure she wouldn't say anything. I discovered she was studying music so I told her a little about your interest and we talked about it quite a lot; we have similar tastes. She dropped out of school a few months later and returned home, so we mostly communicated by letter and email. After a few months, she sent me an audio file, put together by of one of her former class mates, she said, asking for my opinion on the work. It was a mixture of genres; opera, an original composition, rearrangements of pop songs, even two rock songs, as well as a classical hymn."

"I remember that, you sent me a copy. You never would tell me who the artist was though."

"Because she wouldn't tell me who the singer was. I had my suspicions but it wasn't until a year later, she finally confessed in a letter that it was her."

Adam looked at the figure in the bed. "Does she still sing?" he asked.

"She does, but she doesn't perform often. What happened that night traumatised her and it took her many years to get over it, and left her with a lasting dislike of crowds and too much attention. She still writes music though, that's how she makes her living. There's a studio in the basement that you will love, she has all the toys."

"And how did you come to live with her now?"

"I wrote telling her that I was moving again soon, she knows we can't stay anywhere for very long, and she wrote back suggesting Edinburgh, offering me the chance to stay with her, at least while I got settled."

"What about her family?"

"She's been unlucky there. Her mother died of cancer when she was young, and her father died in a car accident eight years ago."

"So you moved in and stayed?"

"We just got on so well. In many ways, she reminded me of you, your passion for music and art. She even shares some of your passion for technology, as far as it relates to her music."

Adam contemplated her words for a long while, watching silently as Eve changed the blood bag for the second time.

"All right, I was a pompous ass," Adam finally admitted. "As well as the inconvenience of travelling and the hunger, the delay made me even more bad tempered than usual. That's no excuse though, I treated her badly, and I'll apologise for it when she wakes up."

"Make it good," Eve implored. "Her home is her haven."

With a forth unit of blood just begun, Eve shook Lilith awake but as she pushed Eve's hands away. Adam could see already that she looked better; not yet healthy, but improving.

"Go away."

"I will, darling, once you have a drink and something to eat. Please, for me?"

Lilith sighed in defeat, an emotion Adam was familiar with; Eve was impossible to resist, no matter how much one might wish to.

As Lilith pushed herself up in the bed, Eve fetched the tray and Lilith watched Adam closely. He moved away, until his back was to the wall, trying not to frighten her, although he might have been more successful if he hadn't kept staring at her.

He considered apologising but now, when she was weak, only half awake and dependant on them, wasn't the time. He would wait until she was more recovered, then she could decide for herself whether to accept or not.

Eve forced the juice and one slice of toast on Lilith, then allowed her to rest.

"Now, come and greet me properly," Eve said, once her charge had drifted off to sleep once more.

Adam approached her slowly and wrapped her in an embrace, drinking in the feeling of her in his arms, before he kissed her. He lost track of time in her arms, as often happened.

"The sun will be up soon," Eve told him. "You should go to bed, you must be exhausted."

"Come with me," he asked.

"I can't leave her alone; what if she pulls the other needle out?"

He looked over to the girl. "She shouldn't sleep in that blood," he noted. He had considered suggesting changing the bed linen and her clothes, but he knew the mattress would also be saturated and the blood would only seep into the freshly laundered sheets. Besides, she didn't need to be disturbed too much. "We should bring her with us, we'll both watch over her."

"I'm not sure she'll appreciate that," Eve said, a rather delicate way of reminding Adam that Lilith was afraid of him.

"But she trusts you," he reminded her. "As long as you're there, she'll sleep well."

Eve considered his suggestion for a moment, then nodded. "I should change her clothes as well, or the scent of drying blood will soon be overpowering."

Adam nodded. "You take her to bed, I'll take care of the mattress."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded. "It'll give you time to change and wash her."

"Okay, baby." She gave him a long, lingering kiss, then approached Lilith. Placing the blood bag on her stomach, she gently lifted the girl into her arms and carried her from the room.

Adam was glad the blood was drying because if he was honest, he already craved more. That wasn't unusual, of course.

Rather than deal with the bed immediately, he looked at the bowl of blood which was about half full, a third of a litre maybe, and he took it to the kitchen, before the air could spoil it. All he could find to house it was a small thermos flask but it would do, so he poured most of the contents into it, leaving enough for a treat when he was finished. Getting a shot glass, he tipped the rest of the blood in; it would be his reward. Given how he had behaved however, he needed to earn it, which he proceeded to do.

First he stripped the bed and stuffed everything in the washing machine, then he took the mattress out to the garden, which was walled and relatively private. It would need to be dumped, or preferably burned but in the meantime, he doused it in bleach which would hide the blood and destroy the DNA.

Returning to the house, he mixed carpet cleaner and a small amount of bleach in a bowl, with warm water and taking a scrubbing brush, began to clean the blood out of the carpets. Luckily, he had some experience cleaning up blood over the centuries and was fairly successful. He used towels to mop up as much of the water as he could, then placed them in the washing machine. Adding a large measure of detergent and more bleach, he turned the machine on for a long wash on a cool setting.

Thanks to his speed, it didn't take him anywhere near as long as it would most people, but he had righted almost all his mistakes tonight. Tomorrow he would see about repairing her bedroom door and ordering a new mattress but for now, he had done all he could.

Returning to the kitchen, he picked up the shot glass of blood, sat at the table and this time, took his time. His hunger had kept him from noticing the taste the first time but now, he savoured it. Her blood had a slightly sweet, nutty taste, meaning that she ate well, lots of fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and fish, but she also had a sweet tooth. This was the nicest blood he'd had in decades, far better than the processed and filtered blood he got from bribing researchers, (they were pretty much the only people who worked with blood these days, those who studied it).

Her blood was like the difference between a meal replacement bar, and a sirloin steak.

He was sorry when the small glass was empty but given how much blood Lilith had lost, he daren't take any more of the small stash they had. He was still feeling euphoric however, and made his way upstairs. It was easy to find Eve's room since she had left the door open. An added clue was the front of the house faced north and vampires usually chose the darkest side of a house for their beds.

Lilith lay on her back in the middle of the bed and had been changed into a white vest and black shorts. The bag of artificial blood she was being infused with was handing from the headboard.

Eve lay naked on the far side of the bed, cuddled into her side and an arm flung over Lilith's abdomen.

Adam stripped down to his boxers, feeling that Lilith might freak out if she found him naked beside her. He would have pulled a robe on but it was late, he was tired and his clothes were still by the front door.

Eve opened her eyes and held a hand out to him.

"Darling," she purred.

Since there really was only room for him on the other side of Lilith, he climbed onto the bed and laid on his side. He reached for Eve with his top hand. Worried that Lilith would either move and pull the needle out, or he would catch the tube and do the same, he entangled the fingers of his free hand with Lilith's, holding it tightly.

"Thank you, my love," Eve said to him.

Adam didn't know what she was thanking him for and honestly, he was too tired to ask.

* * *

Lilith felt exceptionally tied when she awoke, her limbs felt leaden and true consciousness proved elusive. It was rather like she used to feel after doing a marathon. She trained prior to the race but a marathon or half marathon was always taxing.

She couldn't remember which race she had run in though. Race for Life? The Great Run? The Edinburgh marathon? The Moonwalk marathon? She'd done them all in the past, and some others she couldn't recall. Sleep claimed her again before she could remember why she felt this bad.

The next time she awoke, she had a little more awareness and realised that Eve was cuddled against her. That wasn't unusual, Eve didn't enjoy sleeping alone and usually joined her in bed a few times a week. She seemed to have more limbs than usual though, but perhaps she was just holding Lilith closer.

Feeling secure in Eve's loving presence, she drifted off to sleep once more.

The third time she roused, she had more presence of mind and memories from last night began to trickle into her consciousness.

Adam, the fight, the bloodletting, the needle being ripped out, Eve taking care of her. No wonder she felt so knackered. Her left elbow itched and she reached over with her opposite hand to scratch it, and that was when she realised that she and Eve weren't alone in the bed.

Carefully, almost as if she was worried the action might wake him, she opened her eyes and looked to her left side. Adam lay beside her, dressed only in his boxer shorts; her hand was entwined with his, his cheek was resting against her shoulder and one of his legs was slung over hers. Eve, who was nestled on her other side, seemed to be as naked as the day she was born but Lilith was used to that; Eve was about as shy about nudity as your average cat was. Adam and Eve's clasped hands rested on her stomach.

She was literally the human in a vampire sandwich, which wasn't exactly a comforting thought.

A glance to the window showed her that it was getting dark, so they would be waking up in an hour or so.

Rolling her eyes up, she followed the tube in her arm to the headboard, where an empty blood pack was hanging from the wrought iron ornamentation. How much blood had she lost? Her memory was a little fuzzy anyway and unless she was bloodletting into a container, it was hard to judge. It looked like a lot though, and she had grown so tired that she had almost resigned herself to death.

How did this even happen? Eve was such a lovely woman and even on the few occasions when Lilith had seen the other side of her nature, Eve had always been in control and Lilith had never felt personally threatened. She couldn't imagine her being with someone like Adam, who was brusque, rude, patronising, intimidating and violent. Eve had said he was prone to depression but to Lilith, it looked more like psychopathy, although granted, she was no psychiatrist.

What was going to happen when they woke up?

She trusted Eve but she had never seen her around another vampire before. It was two against one now, would Eve take his side? She had known and loved this man for 400 years, after all.

She looked again to see if there was any way she could disentangle herself from these two and although it looked impossible, taken one step at a time, maybe not.

First, she reached over and carefully withdrew the needle from her arm. A drop of two of blood would pool there but her injection sites usually healed very quickly. Next came extricating her hand from Adam's.

Slowly and gently, she began to slip her fingers from his. He groaned softly and she froze, her leaden muscles screaming in discomfort at her rigidity. He remained quiet for a few moments so moving even slower than before, she again tried to slip his grasp.

This time his moan was louder but he dropped her hand. For a second she thought that she had been successful, until he slipped his now free hand under her back and gripped her waist.

"Just a little longer," he drawled softly, rolling on her slightly more and cuddling in so that his head rested on her breast.

Her right hand was free but now, the arm was trapped under Adam and the only place her hand could go, was around him. She left it on the mattress.

How was it possible that she was spooning, or whatever the fuck this was, with two vampires? Even worse, why did she like it? She enjoyed cuddling with Eve because of the intimacy. There had never been much affection in her life. She hoped that her mother used to hold her but she had died when Lilith was three and while Lilith didn't doubt her father's love, he was a cool and distant man, who was uncomfortable with displays of affection. Her boyfriends liked to touch but she always felt as if they had an ulterior motive; they put hugs and kisses in, they get sex out, like she was a vending machine or something.

Eve had shown her the pleasures that could be achieved with a simple, innocent touch, and how it could create a bond that was infinitely more special than sex.

Her enjoyment of feeling Adam pressed against her though, was anything but innocent. His head was resting on her breast, after all, with only a thin vest between their skin. She could feel his stubble, and she knew that his lips were just millimetres from her nipple, because she could feel his gentle breaths, arousing her further.

His soft hair ticked her chin as she remembered seeing him in her kitchen. Once she knew who he was, she realised that she'd seen pictures of him before, but they didn't do him justice. He was, without a shadow of a doubt, beautiful. That wasn't a word she'd use for a man usually but he was different. He wasn't feminine looking, she didn't mean it in that way, it was more that he was an artwork, as if he were perfectly crafted to be ascetically pleasing.

Still, it didn't matter how handsome he was, she didn't want to feel that way about him, not after what he had done last night.

Lilah had more than her share of demons and they had caused her to all but give up on relationships. They were pointless and usually, she felt worse while with someone than she did when single. Especially since Eve had been living with her, she had no need of male company and if she was honest, she was better at pleasing herself, than most men were at pleasing her.

Maybe her feelings now were just because Adam was the only guy she'd been this close to for ages. It was a strictly physiological reaction to his proximity and desirability, not any real desire on her part to fuck the man who had almost killed her. Hell, even if she did want him in that way, she couldn't allow herself to act on it.

Her house was her safe haven, the one place where she didn't have to look over her shoulder, or walk with her keys between her fingers, or try to remember which order she had been taught to strike an assailant in.

Now someone had invited one of the enemy into her home. Her refuge was tainted. He had to go. Eve would go with him, she was sure, but it had to be that way. Eve was like a mother slash sister to Lilith and she was going to miss her like crazy, but no one was worth living in fear for.

She continued to lie there, resigned to the fact that she wasn't going to escape without waking them. Soon the lethargy overtook her once more and although she was in the arms of a predator, well two actually, she couldn't stay awake.

* * *

Eve smiled as she took in the scene before her. Adam was curled around Lilith, holding her almost possessively. Lilith for her part, was also unconsciously clinging onto Adam, one arm curled around his neck, her hand on his hair, lightly stroking it.

Adam had even removed his gloves. Her kind had a very slight psychic touch and were able to tell things about any object or person they came into direct contact with. Eve's ability was more developed thanks to her age, but all vampires had it. That was why they asked permission before touching another vampire, and why they didn't remove their gloves in another vampire's house without permission, because they too would begin leaving psychic impressions that would linger long after their departure.

Although his sense was dull compared to hers, Eve couldn't remember the last time Adam had touched a human, skin to skin, unless it was to feed.

She had made a good choice.

Eve and Adam were like darkness and light but Adam's bouts of depression were getting worse and sensing that something bad was coming, she worried about Adam's ability to cope.

Fire created light too but fire isn't passive, as light and darkness are. Fire ignited passion. She had begun to think that fire might suit darkness more than light after all, light and dark just cancel each other out.

People think that fire consumes but it doesn't, not really. Fire changes things, it clears away the old, the dead things, the things that suffocate and smother, and it provides a nutrient rich environment for new things to grow in.

Lilith, wither fiery hair to match her fiery personality, was a good match for darkness.

Eve couldn't have imagined that their first meeting would be quite so tempestuous, but the change in Adam was undeniable already. She could see no signs of the cruel depression that had once again threatened to overwhelm him, not even given the guilt he felt for hurting her friend. Already, her fiery spirit had chased away some of his melancholia, at least for a time.

It was more than an hour after sunset now but the others hadn't awoken. She wasn't worried; Adam was exhausted from travelling and Lilith was recovering.

Already, Lilith's colour looked much better, and she must have awoken briefly, as she had removed the transfusion needle. She would need to be taken care of for a while, to eat lots of nutritious and carbohydrate rich foods, and take it easy for a few days. She would give Adam the task of caring for her, where possible.

It would probably be at least three days before she could donate blood again. The artificial blood in her system would make it less palatable and nutritious than usual, but that would fade in a week or so, since as well as carrying nutrients around her body, by then it would be infused with her essence, her life force, the force that Eve survived on.

Luckily, unless something untoward happened, she and Adam didn't need much blood to survive.

Lilith stirred then, and Eve pushed the hair out of her face, brushing her fingers over the girls brow.

"It's okay, darling, you're safe now."

She opened her eyes.

"You're safe," Eve repeated, worried that's he might be frightened by finding herself in Adam's embrace.

She looked flummoxed to see Adam snuggled into her, but she didn't jerk away from him. Eve didn't know if that was a desire not to wake him out of fear of him, or consideration for him. Probably the former but Eve chose to take it as a positive sign.

"How do you feel?"

"Tired."

"That will probably last a few days, but you should be fine," Eve told her. "Adam cleaned everything up last night, so the house is as good as new."

Lilith nodded. "I should check."

"Of course." Clearly she wanted to be away from Adam. Eve squeezed his hand. "Adam, darling, time to get up, my love."

With reluctance, he roused himself and opened his eyes.

"Come on, darling." She coaxed.

He seemed to come to his senses in an instant and realising the rather intimate position he was in, sat upright and turned to Lilith, who was pushing herself up to sit with her back to the headboard her arms crossed over her breasts.

"I'm sorry, that was a terribly inappropriate of me. Please forgive me."

"It's fine," Lilith answered.

"Thank you. When you're feeling a little better, I'll apologise properly for everything I did last night but for now, let me just say, it was inexcusable and I am truly sorry to have abused your generosity in that way."

"Thank you." Lilith nodded. "I light of your apology, I almost feel bad for saying this, but I have to and I don't believe in keeping things in and letting them fester. I can't let you stay here, Adam." She turned to Eve. "I'm sorry." Lilith looked genuinely pained by the admission.

"Oh, my darling, I understand, believe me." Eve reached out and cupped her cheek. "This is your home and you need to feel safe here."

"I understand if you want to go as well, Eve, but you're always welcome here, honestly."

"Thank you. I would just ask one favour of you though."

"You want him to stay until you two find somewhere?" Lilith wasn't slow on the uptake.

"It would mean a lot to me, especially as I don't want to leave you alone, not for a few days, at least."

Lilith looked from Eve to Adam, who looked contrite. "I suppose a few days can't hurt."

"Thank you," Adam said sincerely.

"I, um," Lilith swallows. "I'm going to take a bath."

"Good idea," Eve smiled.

Somewhat self-consciously, she got off the bed but paused by the door and turned back. "Thank you, Eve, for saving me."

"What else could I do?"

With a shy smile, she left, avoiding looking at Adam.

"Can you handle cooking?" Eve asked Adam.

"It's not exactly my forte," he said drolly.

"Think of it like some of those experiments you used to do in the Victorian era, heating protein to find the temperature at which it's denatured."

"The process begins at 41 degrees Celsius, 106 degrees Fahrenheit or 314 Kelvin."

"Good, then you shouldn't burn anything. But look a recipe up online just in case; something simple and nutritious, like eggs."

"I think I can manage that."

"Good. I'm going to see if I can convince Lilith to sleep with us, for a few more nights at least."

"Why?" he asked.

"Because I love her and I love you, and I want you both to love each other. In order for that to happen, she has to trust you."

"What about me?" he asks, sounding amused.

"I already know that you'll love her, if you give her a chance," she answered, as if it should be obvious. "I'll stay with her while she bathes, just in case she gets dizzy or something, so you've got about half an hour to and prepare something delicious."

"I make no promises," he warned.


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: The music used in each chapter will be posted at the top, in case you want to look the songs up on youtube. I have an eclectic taste in music, from Barry Manilow and Dolly Parton, to P!nk and Muse, and almost everything in between. For obvious reasons, music features heavily in this fic and I hope you will look up some of the songs. You never know, might find a hidden gem among them.
> 
> Love of My Life by Queen
> 
> Crazy by Patsy Cline
> 
> Blood by My Chemical Romance
> 
> Passacaglia by Handel, a piano four hands duet.

**Chapter** **Two**

Lilith appreciated Eve's desire to make sure she was all right, but she almost felt as if she was being watched, or maybe guarded. She felt guilty for ascribing such motives to Eve but she couldn't help it. Maybe Eve did just want to make sure she was okay but Lilith sensed that there was more to this, to everything that had happened.

Why didn't Eve tell her Adam was coming? Even if she had forgotten to mention it that night, she must have known a few days in advance, right? And why leave a note on her fridge telling her? That was where Lilith left shopping lists and sometimes, notes, but Eve preferred to speak in person and on more than one occasion, had awoken Lilith to let her know she was going out and would be back until nightfall, when a note would have been more than sufficient.

Did she mean for last night to happen? Could she have predicted that? She had known Adam for what? Over 400 years, so she could predict his behaviour better than anyone.

But assuming that she had known what would happen, why? She couldn't believe that Eve wished her harm.

Perhaps Eve had planned their meeting, but it hadn't gone at all how she expected. That was believable. So now, was Eve watching Lilith because she still feared what Adam would do to her? Or maybe because she feared that Lilith would reveal their secret? Or was she being paranoid and Eve simply wanted to look after her?

No, something was going on here, she just didn't know how bad it was and she needed to be on her own for a while to sort through her thoughts. Eve stayed in the room as she bathed, making sure she didn't get dizzy. Unable to get the bandage on her arm wet, Eve helped her to wash her hair but when she tried to help her out, Lilith assure her she was fine. Eve simply retreated to the bedroom and picked some clothes out for her.

Lilith felt a little like a child, being allowed a certain amount of autonomy, but only to a degree. Eve knew her style well though, so Lilith didn't argue with her choices of a black jeans and a red shirt. Lilith loved bold colours, even the ones that people told her clashed with her red hair.

"I wonder how late The Bed Factory is open?" she said as she dressed. She had little in the way of modesty with Eve, it seemed pointless.

"We'll get you a new mattress, darling, but I don't think we should do it tonight, you need to rest and recover."

"I need somewhere to sleep."

"You can sleep with us. I'd feel better with you in there with me, in case you need me."

"That's kind but you and Adam need time alone."

"Nonsense, our love is about far more than sex."

Lilith gave her a look which asked ' _How dumb do you think I am_?'

Eve laughed. "I haven't seen Adam in almost two years, and I'm as in love with him now as I was the day I met him."

"All the more reason you need privacy."

"Lili, stop worrying about me. Let me worry about you for a change. If it makes you feel any better, I'll order you a new mattress online this evening."

Lilith recognised that her emotions were being manipulated and if it were anyone else, she would tell them where to shove it and kick them out now but this wasn't anyone else, this was Eve. She owed her life to Eve, twice now, so how could she say no to her request, especially when it was couched in such caring sentiment.

"You know, you're ruining the vampire image of evil, mysterious, blood thirsty and sex crazed predators."

"I know," Eve smiled kindly. "So?"

"All right, just…" How did she tactfully say ' _keep your maniac boyfriend away from me_ '?

"Don't you worry about Adam, he truly doesn't mean you any harm and I'll be there."

At the first opportunity, she would have to furnish at least one other of her spare rooms, then if it was ever necessary again, she could sleep in there.

Downstairs she went into the living room and sat at her grand piano. Eve didn't seem inclined to leave her alone, but she could escape in her music.

Having been built in the Victorian era, the reception rooms were all massive and this parlour was easily able to hold the baby grand piano and two sofa's. The instrument was placed so the player sat facing the French windows, and could look out into the garden. She tinkered for a few moments, playing scales as she decided what to play, something beautiful and soothing, something that would calm and comfort her. She eventually settled on an old, and slightly melancholy favourite.

* * *

Although he hadn't tried cooking anything yet, Adam was fairing reasonably well in the kitchen, when the sound of a piano distracted him. He guessed it was Lilith and pricked up his ears, pleased to realise she was actually quite talented. The scales and runs finished and she began playing a new piece. After seven bars, a voice joined the music.

' _Love of my life, you've hurt me. You've broken my heart and now you leave me. Love of my life can't you see, bring it back, bring it back, don't take it away from me, because you don't know, what it means to me.'_

The voice was not powerful, although from the demo Eve had sent him all those years ago, she clearly had a powerful voice but for this song, she had adopted an ethereal and haunting tone.

He found himself drawn to the performance and watched from the doorway while she played. Eve came and stood with him, wrapping an arm around his waist and leaning against him.

"She's amazing," he whispered.

"You haven't heard anything yet," she answered, equally softly.

"Does she play often?"

"Every day. Not always here, she has a studio in the basement but even with the sound proofing, I can hear everything."

' _You will remember, when this is blown over, and everything's all by the way. When I grow older, I will be there at your side to remind you, how I still love you. I still love you.'_

If that last line didn't sum up his relationship with Eve, he didn't know what did. He tightened his grip on his love as Lilith continued playing.

She moved onto another song, Crazy by Patsy Cline. Her voice was stronger on this song but still not as powerful as he knew she could be. It fit the song though.

When the song came to an end, without turning around she said, "It's rude to listen to someone playing without announcing yourself."

He realised that since it was dark out, she could see his reflection in the windows.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to disturb you. That was amazing." He and Eve stepped into the room, rounding the piano until she could see them. "Will you play something else?"

A small, he might almost say wicked, smile graced her lips and she began to play something with a decidedly different feel, almost vaudeville.

Eve was smiling, so clearly she had heard this before.

' _Well they encourage your complete cooperation. Send you roses when they think you need to smile. The doctors and the nurses they adore you so, but it's really quite alarming, cause you're such an awful fuck! I gave you blood, blood, gallons of the stuff, I gave you all that you can drink and it has never been enough. I gave you blood, blood, blo-od! I'm the kind of human wreckage that you love!'_

She finished with a flourish and a satisfied smile.

"I get the feeling you're trying to tell me something." His answer was obviously the right one, since her smile widened.

"Oh, my darling," Eve laughed, rubbing his shoulder. "I have a wonderful idea! Lili, why don't you play that piece you taught me, Passacaglia by Handel, the one you've been teaching me."

"Okay." It was a four hand tune, so Lilith moved down on the bench but Eve didn't take a seat, instead she prodded Adam to move.

"The piano isn't my instrument," he argued.

"Rubbish, everything is your instrument." Eve was gently pushing him closer to Lilith.

"I'd rather hear you two play, he tried again."

"Please darling, I love to hear you play."

He looked to Lilith, who seemed surprised and a little wary, but she wasn't refusing.

"Do you want to be the first or second?" she asked him.

"Second," he answered. "I haven't played a piano in twenty years."

"Don't exaggerate," Eve chided him as he sat to her right.

"We don't have to do this," she said.

"No, no, I think I remember it, my part is fairly simple."

"Okay, ready?"

Adam nodded, so she began. It wasn't a long piece, not the way she played it, but he was able to anticipate her.

Eve clapped when they finished. "Brilliant," she beamed at them.

"You're very good," Lilith told him. "Especially if you're telling the truth about not having played for so long."

"Why would I lie?"

"You haven't given me a reason to believe you."

"Do you distrust everyone?"

"No but you have to admit, you've given me good reason to distrust you."

"And for that, I am truly sorry." He nodded, acknowledging the truth of her words. "I have no excuses and it won't happen again."

"Thank you." She didn't exactly sound enthusiastic.

"You must be hungry," he said, remembering that while he had prepared it, he hadn't actually cooked her meal.

"Is that your way of telling me _you're_ hungry?"

"No, I wouldn't accept your blood right now, even if you offered it."

"Because I'm contaminated?" She looked offended.

"No, because you're still healing. If you must know, your blood is some of the sweetest I've ever tasted."

"Wow, okay, that's… really creepy."

"It was meant as a compliment." He gave a frustrated sigh. "There's no pleasing you is there? You don't like it when you think I don't want your blood, and you don't like it when I tell you that I enjoy it. _This_ is why we gave up feeding from familiars."

Her eyes narrowed in anger. "You seriously need to brush up on your social skills," she told him. "Believe it or not, there is a happy medium between basically calling someone diseased, as you did with your contamination talk last night, and making them feel like a Happy Meal on legs!"

"What's a happy meal?"

"My God, what rock have you been living under?" she asked rhetorically. "It's a fast food meal for kids."

"Well forgive me if I'm not up in the disgusting eating habits of zombies," he snipped at her.

"No, I won't forgive you, because the meaning behind my words was clear, even if you didn't understand one term. And forgive me, but a zombie is a reanimated corpse, which of the two of us, makes you the brain dead zombie!"

"You've got some gall, calling me-"

"Calling you what?" she interrupted, she anger reaching boiling point. "A name? The same insulting name that you've been calling me since you got here? Oh, I'm so fucking sorry, please accept my most insincere apologies, Adam!"

Adam watched her. She had no make-up on, her damp hair was slicked back from her face and she still looked tired, but he couldn't help but admire how beautiful she looked when she was angry. He could well see what Eve saw in her.

"You're right."

"What?" She sounded truly shocked by his words. He wondered if she was trying to provoke a fight, perhaps testing him to see if he would hurt her again. Fortunately, for all his faults, temper wasn't one. Moody and sullen perhaps, but not angry.

"You're right, I've been behaving like a hypocrite." He answered calmly, he was too captivated by the pink hue in her cheeks and the quick rise and fall of her chest to still be irritated. "I wish I could tell you that it won't happen again, but that would be a lie."

"So you're a hypocrite but not a liar?"

"Precisely."

Lilith looked at him for a long moment, before asking, "What does she see in you?"

"I might ask the same of you, except I think I'm beginning to have an inkling."

Lilith stood up so quickly that she almost stumbled. "I… I'm going to get something to eat."

She scurried off towards the kitchen and Adam looked at Eve, wondering what she was up to. It wasn't like her not to step into a fight like that. Over the years, she had mediated many a disagreement between him and her sister, who was better able to defend herself (at least physically) than Lilith.

"What game are you playing?" he asked.

"No game, darling, I just want you to get to know her, without my interference. Go after her."

"She ran away from me, I don't think she wants my company."

"You might be surprised. Now go."

Rolling his eyes, he followed Lilith through to the kitchen and found her standing in the middle of the floor, staring at the chopping board.

"Something wrong?" he asked, approaching her slowly lest he spooked her.

"Where did that food come from?" she gestured to the chopped ham and vegetables on the cutting board.

"Your refrigerator."

"And who prepared them?"

"I did. Are you hungry?" He approached the food and picked up his phone, which had the recipe on it. According to the next instruction, he broke three eggs into a bowl. "I hope you like omelettes, I'm not exactly a proficient cook so I thought it best to start with something easy. It should be good for you though, there's kale, peppers, ham and spinach, all of which should aid blood production. And before you get angry and say that your blood is the only reason I'm doing this, it isn't. I did it because Eve told me to."

He seasoned the eggs, then whisked them together with a fork.

"Do you do everything Eve tells you to?"

"Usually." He turned and offered her a wry smile. "Don't you?"

Lilith stepped closer to him. "I guess I do. She's like a force of nature, bending everyone to her will."

Adam's smile widened slightly, in appreciation of her analogy. He on turned the heat under the frying pan, after consulting his phone, added a knob of butter.

"So, how long have you and Eve been together?" Adam asked, just to make conversation. If he was going to get along with her, he did need to brush up on his social skills.

"She moved in about four years ago?"

"Were you together before that?"

"You mean, like a couple?"

Adam nodded. "You should be honoured, Eve doesn't take many women into her bed, it must be a hundred years or more since she had a female lover."

"Adam, I'm not gay," she told him.

"Bi then. Don't worry about upsetting me, it doesn't bother me; we've been together for hundreds of years, our love isn't based on monogamy." He added the eggs to the pan.

"Gay, bi, queer, call it what you will, I'm not. Not that there's anything wrong with that, I'm just not into girls, not in that way."

Now it was Adam's turn to look confused as he turned to her. "You're not?"

"No."

"Then why is she so protective of you?"

Lilith laughed. "Because sex is the only reason to care about someone, right? Well, to care about _zombies_."

"You've got me." He admitted.

"Do you ever think that maybe your depression isn't caused by people, but because you're so disconnected from people? Solitary confinement has been proven to make people susceptible to anxiety, depression, self-mutilation and suicide."

"I'm not 'people'," he answered, adding the chopped vegetables and ham to the frying pan.

"No, of course, I forget that you're some special snowflake who is above the experiences of us mere mortals."

"Are you always this sarcastic?" he asked.

"Pretty much. Why, does it bother you?"

"No actually. I like it."

"Good for you."

Adam tipped the omelette onto a plate, where it broke up into a few pieces. "Oh. I don't think it was supposed to do that," he said, checking the picture of the finished dish on his phone. "I'll try again."

He reached for the plate to throw his failed attempt out but Lilith slapped his hand away.

"Don't you dare! I'm too hungry to care what it looks like."

"Seems like I'm not the only one who gets violent when hungry," he noted but judging from the glare he received, she didn't realise he was trying to tease her.

She held the plate in one hand and cut the eggs to pieces with the side of her fork. "This is actually not bad," she told him after a few mouthfuls. "I don't think Egon Ronay would rate it, but then I doubt you care."

"Who is Egon Ronay?"

"He was a really famous food critic." She put her plate down to pour herself a glass of apple juice. "I'm going to take this into the basement; I have some work to finish and I'm sure you and Eve want some time alone."

"We-"

"Its fine," she held a hand up to stop him. "I don't want to know what you get up to, it's totally soundproof down there, so knock yourselves out."

She collected her plate and headed out of the kitchen, pausing in the doorway.

"And Adam?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks for the food."


	3. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

"She's been having problems with the bridge," Eve said.

She and Adam were lying in bed and despite the soundproofing of the studio, they could hear every note Lilith played.

"It's a lovely song. Is it instrumental?"

"I doubt it, but she usually works with a lyricist who will write the words once she's finished."

"Her style seems familiar," Adam noted.

"It should be, she's written over a dozen number one songs, and god knows how many others."

"But she doesn't record them?" Adam frowned.

"No, she hates the spotlight."

Adam could understand her need to get her work out there, even if she couldn't perform it herself.

"What songs?" he asked.

"One for the Road, Everlasting, Boys Don't Dance, The Ballad of Adam and Eve." She grinned as she said that last one.

"I remember that," Adam frowned. "That was about us?"

Eve nodded. "She even wrote the lyrics to that one."

"I thought it was familiar, although it got so much wrong, I assumed I was just coincidence."

"We were her inspiration, but it was never intended to be biographical."

"She performs sometimes, you said, right?"

"She does. There are a couple of local clubs that have open mic nights."

"We should go, I want to see her perform."

"I'll set something up," Eve assured him.

They lapsed into silence again.

"She's trying to fit the song into the AABA format, but I think ABAB would work better. Although the melody is so haunting that it would fit the ABCD model. If she expands the verse, climb, chorus and coda, she could have a modern classic."

"You're right," Eve agreed. "You should go and tell her."

"I'm sure she doesn't want my interference."

"And I'm sure that if you don't spent time with her, she'll never see how wonderful you are."

"Why is this so important to you?" he asked, turning to her.

"I told you, because I-"

"And when I thought you two had a relationship, I might have believed that, but she's adamant you're nothing more than friends."

"Well, more like family, but not all relationships have to be sexual, Adam. You know that."

"Relationships with zombies usually are though. Other than someone else's familiar, I don't think you've had a zombie friend since I first funded James Blundell's research into blood transfusions, back in the Victorian era."

"Then maybe it's time for a change," Eve argued.

"I know you have some kind of plan here, Eve, and I will figure it out."

"I wish you wouldn't," she said seriously.

"Why?"

Eve didn't answer for a long time.

"All right, I chose her for you."

"For me!" he sounded surprised. "I don't understand."

"She's perfect for you, darling, I knew that from the moment I met her, but she wasn't ready then."

"You're perfect for me, why do I need her?"

"Because I'm not enough for you any longer."

"Eve-"

"No, Adam, your depressive cycles are becoming more frequent and I'm not sure that I'm sufficient anymore. You need fresh blood, someone who can ignite the passion in you again."

"And what happens to us?"

"There will always be an 'us' darling. Lilith isn't here to eclipse me, but to compliment us both."

"I don't suppose you've shared this plan with her?"

"Not yet, no. I didn't want her to feel uncomfortable."

Adam stared at her for a long few moments.

"Bullshit. There's some truth to your words but that's not the whole truth."

"What do you think I'm hiding from you?" she asked.

"I don't know. You've never hidden anything from me before, that's what frightens me."

"Darling, there's nothing to be frightened of, I promise. I simply want to improve our lives."

"And what if we change her and she turns out like Ava?"

"I honestly don't think that's likely, do you?" she asked.

"We'd have to be exceptionally unlucky but it's possible. And if it did happen again, she's our responsibility this time, we can't just send her away for a century and hope she grows up, like we can with your sister."

"Well that's something to consider in the future, we haven't even asked her if she wants to become one of us."

"You've never talked about it? Ever?"

"She's asked the hows and whys but she's never even hinted that she wants to change."

"That's unusual," Adam noted. Most zombies loved the idea of eternal life.

"Look at it from her point of view, she's all alone; she has no parents, no siblings, serious issues when it comes to relationships and trouble trusting new people. If you were in her shoes, would you want to live forever?"

"Hmm," he agreed.

"I think that with you and I as her family, she would be more amenable to changing."

Adam finally conceded with a long sigh. "Fine, I'll do my best to seduce the zombie."

"You will do no such thing!" Eve sat up and glared down at him. "We're not tricking this girl into joining our family, we're befriending her and seeing if it's something we _all_ want. Now, I have no objection to you sleeping with her, providing you both want it and there is no seduction or other trickery used."

"You think being nice is trickery?"

"I think it is when you do it. We both know you're charming enough to sell ice to Eskimos if you're so inclined, but that's not your natural disposition."

"Friends with a zombie," he sighed.

"No, friends with one of the most talented musicians I've met in two hundred hundred years."

"Fine, I'll go and see her now."

He got up and quickly dressed, although he left his shirt unbuttoned. When he got to the basement, she had moved onto a different composition, something dark and foreboding. It didn't fit with what he knew of her character. He watched her through the window from the engineering booth as she played the piano, but there were dozens of other instruments in there, from drums to flutes; a cello to electric guitars.

She was in the studio, while he was in the dark production office. The equipment was all top quality and the studio walls were insulted with sound proof foam.

He had heard her play this piece of music through three times now and thought he understood it, so as she began a forth rendition, he silently entered the room and plucked a violin from the wall, choosing a Stradivarius that was hard to reach but the best instrument in the collection.

Lilith stopped playing and watched him closely.

"What are you trying to do?" he asked, plucking the strings to make sure the instrument was in tune.

"I don't know," she answered. "Something's missing. It's not technical it's… it's a feeling, an emotion I'm failing to convey."

"Play," he instructed.

She raised a haughty eyebrow at his order but she began to play the melody. Adam listened again and understood what she meant. The melancholy composition needed hope to truly be moving. Much like movies toy with viewers expectations to illicit an emotional response, in some ways, music did too. To truly make a dark composition, there had to be just enough light to make the listener feel hopeful and invested in the music.

He began to play, using the violin to lightly skip over her melody and create that missing emotion.

Lilith had tears in her eyes as she finished, and bowed her head, trying to hide from him.

"What is it?" he asked, stepping closer to the grand piano.

"Nothing," she answered, wiping her eyes and sniffing back her tears.

"Please tell me." He was surprised to realise he actually wanted to know what had upset her. It probably wasn't his playing, he had been too clumsy to truly elicit the emotions he wanted, he would need to practice first.

She looked up at him and he felt as if he was looking into her soul. There was no pretence, no defensiveness, no sarcasm, just raw emotion.

"What you played, it was so… sanguine."

"No, it's more than that."

She let out a long breath.

"That violin you plucked off the wall," she nodded to it. "It belonged to my mother, she was a musician too. I never let anyone play it, that's why it's out of most people's reach. To hear you playing that… I don't know, it was like she was playing with me. It's stupid, I know."

"It's not stupid," he answered, looking at the violin. "If no one plays this, why is it perfectly tuned?"

"I always keep it tuned, almost as if I'm waiting for her to come back and pick it up. Which is also idiotic."

"Let's go again."

They played the piece four more times, until they had his addition almost perfect, then she began to tweak her part, making it slightly more sinister. The final piece was exceptionally evocative.

"Thank you, Adam."

"Glad to help," he said, looking around the room. The set up was clearly for a whole band to be able to play here. "Can you play all these instruments?" he asked.

"Most of them. The piano is my instrument of choice though, the guitar second."

"Do other people record here?"

"Sometimes. I produce for a couple of indie bands."

"And how do you sell your songs?"

"My agent finds someone to write the lyrics, usually a guy called Hugh, then he offers them to bands who are interested."

"And how come no one bothers you here?"

She smiled. "Because the songs are recorded by popular bands, usually boy bands, and their fanbase just isn't interested in me. People are usually only interested in who plays the music, not who wrote it. Plus, I publish under a pseudonym."

"That's a good idea."

"What sort of terms do you usually have when you publish?" she asked.

"Terms?"

"Are you willing to sign away the rights? What sort of percentage you want? That kind of thing."

"I don't want anything, it's yours."

"I'm not taking credit for your work," she answered. "If you won't tell me, give me a pseudonym and I'll have my agent draw up a standard contract."

"Whatever you want. Are you continuing?"

"Not tonight, I need to get the music down."

"Need a hand with that?"

"Thanks but I should be fine, I record every session so I can play it back when I write the music."

"I'll leave you to it then." Adam approached the piano, his demeanour slightly hesitant. "Look, I'm not one to believe in flights of fancy but when it comes to music, sometimes something just happens, like it overcomes you and you can't control it, only channel it. If you want to credit anyone, credit the owner of this."

He laid the violin down on the piano and turned to leave the room, pausing by the door when she spoke.

"Thank you," she said, her voice choked with emotion.

He turned back to see silent tears sliding down her cheeks. He felt a moment of terror, unsure how to react. He hadn't treated a human as his equal in… a very long time. He could see the gratitude in her eyes though and if he fucked his reply up, she would be mad at him, which would make Eve mad at him.

Then he realised that he already _had_ been treating her as an equal when he spoke about channelling music. He may not believe in gods or ghosts, but that had been the truth. He was probably channelling something inside him when that happened but he didn't know that for certain, so he hadn't told her that. Instead he had tried to comfort her.

Although they continued to fall, she wiped her tears away and offered him a genuine smile.

In that moment, she ceased to be just another mindless, reckless blood sack, with no insight into the world or themselves and of no interest to him, other than what flowed within her veins.

He offered her a small smile in return. "What are friends for?" he asked rhetorically.

"Is that what we are?"

"I hope so."

"Then can I ask you a favour?"

He almost scowled, fearing the worst, but he managed to hold his distaste in and nod 'yes'.

"I could really use a hug." Her tears fell harder.

The way she phrased it made him wonder if she wanted him to get Eve but he was here and Eve wasn't.

"Will I do?" he asked, stepping closer.

She got up from her stool and met him half way, holding him tentatively. Unlike her, Adam was used to affection and there was no hesitance from him as he held her tightly, almost as if he was afraid to let her go, the same way he held Eve.

She soon embraced him more forcefully, her hands wrapped tightly around his midsection. Since she was a little shorter than Eve, Adam tucked her head under his chin, enveloping as much of her as he could.

Her tears slowed, then stopped but she didn't let him go.

"Thank you," she said.

He pressed a kiss to her hair by way of reply.

Finally she relaxed her hold and leaned back, taking another swipe of her eyes.

"I'm sorry, I can't believe I did that. I haven't cried over my Mum since I was a child. It's silly to cry for someone you can't even remember."

"No, it's not," he assured her. "Memories are fluid and many are fleeting but feelings, they last. Your heart knows how you felt about her even if your mind has forgotten."

"You should have been a writer."

"That's Eve's domain," he answered, finally releasing her and stepping away. "I never had any talent for it."

"Maybe you've developed the talent," she suggested.

"Maybe. Will you be all right down here?"

"Yeah." She checked her watch. "God, no wonder I'm tired, it's nearly dawn."

"Come up and join us when you're ready," he told her.

"I really do have to get this written down, so I'll probably be up in an hour or so."

* * *

Lilith was beginning to wonder if she had misjudged Adam.

Yes, he had threatened her, he had pinned her against the wall, and he had insulted her. He hadn't tried to kill her though. Her vein being torn was an accident, the result of his desperation for blood and not malice.

That didn't excuse the other things he did but maybe, just maybe, that had been an aberration. The man he had been since then was more like the man Eve had told her about, quiet, clever, conscientious (about some things), exceptionally gifted and slightly melancholy.

Still, she didn't want to sleep in the same bed with them, it felt like a _ménage à trois_ , which wasn't something she was used to. She didn't want to be the third wheel.

She headed into the production booth and with the help of her recording, wrote the sheet music out, then she went back into her studio and curled up on the couch in there.

* * *

She awoke to find herself in their bed again, cocooned in their arms.

It felt a little odd that she was in bed with lovers, but it also felt incredibly gratifying that they had come looking for her, especially since it was after dawn when she fell asleep and vampire found it hard to stay away once the sun came up. She soon drifted off to sleep again.

Last night she had been too injured to dream but tonight, she wasn't so lucky.

The cries, the screams, the fear. She could smell their scent, old tobacco and stale beer; she could feel them watching her, laughing at her, feel pain at the ringleader pushed himself inside her, making her scream since her vagina wasn't lubricated, and ready for sex.

'I like it when they scream,' he told her, laughing at her distress.

'Good,' said another voice, it was new and female, 'because you're going to be doing a lot of screaming shortly.'

Then there was blood, oceans of it, gushing over her like a waterfall. Then more cries, screams and begging. The same kind of fear laced begging that she had done earlier.

Then something landed a few feet away from her, something that looked remarkably like an important piece of the male anatomy.

'It's all right,' the new voice said. 'You're safe now. Hush.'

Although the screams continued, the woman was holding her tightly, soothing her frayed nerves.

'Ssh, it's okay, you're fine, you're safe.'

Then the woman who was holding her, approached her. Something was wrong; if she wasn't the one holding her, one of her attackers must be.

She struggled with all her might but he was stronger and continued to hold her against him.

"No, no, get off of me, get off me!"

"Ssh." A soft kiss was placed on her temple and that jolted her out of the dream. She looked around, trying to remember where she was. There had been many drunken nights and one night stands immediately after the attack, her misguided attempt to wipe it out of her mind, but she needed lots of alcohol to go through with it and that meant that her recollections of those nights the following morning, were always vague.

This wasn't 2031 though. This wasn't one of those nights.

"Adam?"

"Go back to sleep, love, it's just a bad dream, that's all. No one's going to hurt you."

"I'm sorry, it's the PTSD. I'm fine usually but I guess that… well." Even although he probably was the reason for it, she didn't want to blame him for her nightmare; it wasn't like it was a conscious decision on her part.

"No one's ever going to hurt you again, not while I'm around."

Her instinct was to answer, 'But you won't always be around,' however tonight, still frightened and shaky from her dreams, she didn't mind the comforting lie.

"Go back to sleep."

She settled more comfortably and tried to relax, surprised to realise that she drowsy again so soon after her nightmare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to DaughterOfTheForest and Betty for taking the time to comment. It's much appreciated and I'm glad to know you're enjoying it.


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Music
> 
> Uno by Muse,
> 
> Is This the World We Created by Queen
> 
> Welcome To The Jungle by 2Cellos (originally by Guns 'n' Roses)
> 
> Never Tear Us Apart by Paloma Faith (originally by INXS)
> 
> The Power of Love by Gabrielle Aplin (originally by Frankie Goes To Hollywood)
> 
> Lay Down Your Arms by Anne Shelton

**Chapter Four**

A few days later, they headed to Riley's Place, a bohemian café bar in Edinburgh's old town. The owner, the Riley of the name, was a music lover and rather than playing the radio or CDs, allowed musicians, the type who would usually be busking before it was made illegal, to play for donations from the customers. In addition, three nights a week he had open mic nights, where music acts of all descriptions could come and play from seven pm until 1am. The bar stayed open until 4am though, but after 1 on open mic nights, it usually became an impromptu jamming session between the remaining musicians.

They got there early to ensure they got a table and that there was still space in the line up.

Lilith was wearing a little makeup this evening, just eyeliner to bring her eyes out and lipstick. Her outfit was simple, black jeans, a red shirt and a fitted burgundy leather jacket. Her jewellery was cheap, black bead bracelets and a simple necklace.

Eve never wore makeup because as well as being a very modern invention, it's almost impossible to apply without a mirror and vampires don't cast a reflection. She had allowed Lilith to apply a little mascara and tinted lip balm though, and Lilith had insisted that they both brush their hair. When Adam refused, Lilith began doing it for him, even giving him a dry trim.

Their hair didn't exactly cooperate with such efforts but Lilith did her best, declaring, "Well, at least it only looks like you two have been on a camping weekend, not living rough for a decade."

Most of the people present at Riley's were dressed casually and dreadlocks, tattoos and piercings weren't uncommon, although they weren't the norm.

The lighting was dim, except for the stage, although that wasn't exactly spotlit. There was a baby grand piano, a drum set, amps for the acts that needed them to plug into and numerous stands for sheet music and instruments stands.

Even in the company of two vampires, Lilith hadn't enjoyed the walk here, seeming uneasy for most of it but once inside, she relaxed. In fact as she split away from them and made her way over to the owner (Eve pointed him out to Adam), she seemed to be friendly with at least half of the people in her path.

"She's different," Adam said.

"She's among friends," Eve explained.

They went to the bar to purchase bottles of water; despite Adams distaste at having to _buy_ water, they needed to blend in.

"What does she drink?" he asked Eve.

"A pot of camomile and mint tea."

"She doesn't drink alcohol?"

"Not in public. She doesn't like feeling out of control."

They ordered and took the drinks to a table, where they could see the stage. Lilith rejoined them a few minutes later, resting her guitar and violin cases against the wall before taking a seat.

"I put us down for three fifteen minute sets," she said, "but I don't mind if you take all three if you want."

"Oh, Adam doesn't play in public," Eve said.

Lilith turned to him. "Never?"

"No." He answered.

"I thought that was why you wanted to come."

"If I draw attention to myself, people could recognise me."

"Oh please, the lighting is dim, your hair covers half your face and you have massive sun glasses on. Besides, you guys move regularly enough that no one can figure out what you are."

"I'm not playing. That's final."

"That's a shame; not only could we use some fresh blood around here, I think it's a crime to keep your gift to yourself, but I'll go and tell Riley I only want my usual or two sets."

She got up but Adam grabbed her hand. "You take extra set," he said.

"Half an hour is enough, I can't take too much time away from the other acts. Besides, I'll likely be helping one to two other people with their sets."

She turned away but he didn't drop her hand, so she looked back, raising a questioning eyebrow.

"I'll play if you accompany me," he offered.

Lilith grinned and sat back down. "Deal. Thanks for this, by the way," she said as she began to prepare her pot of tea.

"Does Riley want you to open again?" Eve asked.

"Yup," Lilith answered as she got her guitar out to fine tune it. "Do you want to do it with me?" she asked Adam.

"I think I'll wait until everyone's drunk, they're less likely to remember me."

Over the next half an hour, three people approached the table, asking Lilith for help with their sets, and she was obliging but not a pushover. She challenged some of them, making sure they had been practising, and asked others if they had any new material, chiding them she felt were wasting their talents.

The lights went down and Riley stepped on to the stage, welcoming everyone, stating the rules and introducing the first act, 'Lili'.

She stepped up and sat at the piano first, singing a song that Eve explained, had been a number one hit for a boy band a few years back but had been written (and performed much better) by Lilith.

She remained at the piano to perform a rendition of Uno by Muse, then she picked up her guitar and took a seat near the front of the stage, while Riley adjusted the microphone for her.

"This one is for a new friend of mine; something tells me he'll relate to this song." She said. "Actually, given the state of the world, a few of you probably share his sentiments."

Whereas the piano had shielded her somewhat, now sat alone in the middle of the stage, and Adam thought that she looked incredibly vulnerable.

As she began playing the ballad, he soon realised she was playing a twelve string guitar, tuned down half a step. He noticed that while the guitar had an even rhythm, her vocals had more freedom but he soon forgot about the technicalities, feeling as if he was immersed in her song, wither voice seeping into his bones.

' _Is this the world we created, we made it on our own. Is this the world we devastated, right to the bone? If there's a God in the sky looking down, what can he think of what we've done, to the world that He created?'_

Lilith bowed and made her way off stage, as Riley took her place to announce the next set.

"What was that?" he asked Lilith as she sat down and took a sip of her tea.

"It's classic Queen song."

"I thought I knew most of their music. When was it released?"

"Oh, now you're asking." She quickly did the maths. "Sixty… two years ago," she answered. "Almost twice as old as I am. But it was only a B-side, so it's not as well-known as a lot of their stuff."

"Sixty two years ago," he repeated. "Where was I?" he asked Eve?

"That would have been 1984. As I recall, we spent most of the 1980s in Laos and Burma."

"Right," he nodded. "I remember now. Kind of makes me wonder what else we missed."

"Well the good news is, you've got plenty of time to catch up." Lilith teased.

Lilith played and sung with a variety of acts throughout the evening, mostly playing the piano or singing backup for them.

There was a huge range in the genres of the acts, with rock, hip hop, rap, folk, classical, Latin, country and even a barber's shop quartet.

Adam had to admit that there was a fair amount of talent here, although none of it world class, save for perhaps Lilith.

Usually the patrons spoke among themselves as each act played their set but with Lilith, almost all eyes were upon her, as if she was the only star in a dark sky.

Her second set consisted of two reworked classic rock and pop songs, starting with _Never Tear Us Apart_ and _The Power of Love_ by both reimagined as piano ballads. Her third song was an instrumental version of _Welcome To The Jungle_ , on a cello and violin, for which she enlisted the help of a cello player from a string quartet while she played the violin.

When she returned to the table, she grinned, pleased with her performance.

"So, we've got about an hour and a half to decide what you want to play," she told Adam.

"I don't want to play anything," he answered.

"Fine, there's plenty of people here who will be happy to take your spot."

"I want to hear you. I want to hear you play one of my songs."

"Schubert's adagio?" she teased. "I'm afraid I don't quite have enough hands to play a quintet."

"One of the ones I've taught you over the last few days."

"Okay. We should also do the song you helped me with."

"If I must."

"That's two instrumental songs though," Lilith pointed out. "We should have lyrics on the third,"

"Can I choose the final song?" Eve asked.

"Sure," Lilith smiled at her. She trusted Eve's taste in music… mostly.

" _Lay Down Your Arms_ by Anne Shelton."

"I know you love that song, but it's got to be almost a hundred years old," Lilith whined, although she was smiling.

"Age is no indication of quality," Adam said pointedly, lowering his glasses to peer at her.

Lilith laughed. "Okay, fine."

"Thank you, darling, it's one of my favourites."

"We'll need someone to play drums," Lilith noted. "And I can't play a trumpet," she told Adam. "Can you?"

"I can."

"Do you know the song?"

"I made him learn it," Eve confessed with a sly smile.

"Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one," Lilith replied, also smiling. "I'll see if we can borrow a trumpet from the jazz group; be right back."

When their set came up, Lilith headed to the stage but Adam needed some prodding.

"I'd like to introduce you to a good friend of mine, Adam, it's his first time playing here tonight. Come on up, Adam."

The crowd clapped politely and Eve pushed him a few times until he reluctantly stepped up to the stage.

"The first song is a guitar duet." She picked up one of the standard instruments, while Adam, who had retuned her twelve string, brought that up with him.

There were no lyrics but the melody was captivating nonetheless. The crowd loved it.

Adam picked up her violin, a little surprised to realise she had brought her mothers, while Lilith sat behind the piano.

"This is a new composition I've written, with a lot help from Adam."

That too was well received. Normally she's take that as a sign that the song was ready to be sent to her agent and lyricist but for some reason, she was hesitant to let go of this one.

"Thank you," she said as the crows clapped. "Finally we're going back a few decades with a song that is completely different from my usual stuff. It's called _Lay Down Your Arms_ by Anne Shelton and I'm reliably (and repeatedly) informed that it was a huge hit when it was released, staying at number one for fourteen weeks. I hope you'll like it."

Adam picked up the trumpet and the drummer joined them, having familiarised himself with the basic tune via the internet and after a brief discussion of timing, they were ready to begin.

Lilith didn't have an instrument to play, so she picked up a microphone.

' _My sweetheart is a soldier, as handsome as can be, but suddenly they sent him, away across the sea, so patiently I waited, until his leave was due, then wrote and said, my darling, I'll tell you what to do._

 _Come to the station, jump from the train. March at the double, down lover's lane. Then in the glen, where the roses entwine, lay down your arms. Lay down your arms, and surrender to mine_.

Anne Shelton had been the forces sweetheart during the Second World War and although it was post war, this song had a typical marching rhythm and upbeat tempo. As such, Lilith mugged her way through most of the song, marching on stage, throwing her arms around wildly, generally pantomiming the part.

Despite the age of the song, the beat was catchy and pretty soon, the crowd was clapping along.

Lilith removed the mic from its stand and began to walk around the small stage, playing 'sweetheart' to Adam's 'soldier'. He tried his hardest to ignore her and she became more outrageous when it seemed clear that he refused to be distracted. Lilith rubbed her head against his arm as she sang to him, rested her arm on his shoulder, leaned her back against him, and gave him her best 'doe' eyes.

As soon as the final bars ended, he was smiling, really smiling. He embraced her in a tight hug as the audience applauded and as she pulled back, Lilith was laughing, clearly having enjoyed herself.

She grew serious as she saw something in his gaze, and then he kissed her.

The crowd hollered, enjoying the show but Adam paid them no mind. Her lips felt so soft and warm, so different to Eve's. He hadn't kissed anyone but Eve in decades and had forgotten how different it could feel.

It wasn't meant to be a passionate kiss, just a playful one but the instant his lips touched hers, he felt something he hadn't felt in centuries.

He quickly pulled away and saw that she looked terrified.

"Let me go," she said.

He released her immediately and as she rushed out of the venue, he wondered what he had done to frighten her. They had been getting along so well.

He was about to follow, when he saw Eve heading after her, and she gestured for him to stay put. He was receiving some hostile looks, so he quietly made his way back to his table and waited patiently.

* * *

Lilith felt sick.

How could she be attracted to him? It wasn't that she still blamed him for his actions when he first got here, she truly believed that had been an accident and she had seen no other warning signs that he was the abusive type.

No, the problem wasn't who she had kissed, it was the kiss.

She had liked it. Loved it. She hadn't felt such an intense spark of passion in… maybe ever. The moment he kissed her, it was as if every nerve ending in her body suddenly came alive. Sounds were more intense, colours more vivid, touch felt infinitely sweeter.

And yes, she was aware that sounded like some weird acid trip but it was how she had felt.

But he was her best friend's husband. How could she look Eve in the eye, knowing that each time she looked at Adam from now on, she would remember the feel of his lips on hers and worse still, would long to feel it again.

She was not 'the other woman' type. Not only didn't she want to hurt another woman, even a stranger, she didn't want the scraps from someone else's table. She didn't want stolen moments, assignations in anonymous hotel rooms, the lying, the excuses, and the hiding.

She ran around the corner, knowing that Eve and Adam could easily find and catch her if they were so inclined, so hiding or running from them was useless. She just needed space, and the cold night air to cool her fevered mind.

She began to pace, wondering what would happen now. There was no way that Eve hadn't seen that; would she forgive Lilith, or would they leave?

She could hardly believe that a week ago, she was telling Eve that they had to leave her home and now, she was terrified that they might go.

Even if Eve could forgive a kiss, Lilith doubted her ability to resist Adam. She was strong willed and stubborn but that small taste of him already felt like a drug, and she wanted more.

"There you are, darling, come back inside."

She jumped in surprise and clutched at her heart as she turned to see Eve behind her, her hand held towards Lilith.

"Come on, you'll catch your death out here."

"I like the cold."

Eve dropped her hand and stepped closer, and Lilith wrapped her arms protectively around her torso.

"It's all right, you know," Eve said.

"It won't happen again," Lilith assured her, even although she couldn't be sure it was the truth.

"Oh, darling," she laughed. "I honestly don't mind. You can take him to your bed tonight, if you'd like." She leaned in, as if about to share a secret. "He's very good."

Lilith watched her carefully. "Is this a test?"

"No," Eve laughed. "I knew this was a possibility when Adam came here because if he loved you as much as I do, sex would be a natural progression, assuming you felt the same."

"You're seriously telling me that you don't mind if your husband not only sleeps with other people, but as you say, loves them?"

"Let's take that a step at a time. Adam is free to sleep with whomever he likes. Before the invention blood banks, how do you think we fed? We seduced our prey, that's how."

Lilith supposed there was probably some truth in that.

"As for loving someone else… Well, if I'm honest, it would irritate the fuck out of me if he loved most people, and probably turn me into a jealous old hag. You're different, Lilith, I thought you understood that. Do you think I share as much about our lifestyle with everyone?" she asked rhetorically. "You're like family to me and if there was even the slightest attraction on your part, I'd have taken you to my bed long ago. I can hardly blame Adam for feeling the same way I do, can I?"

"Adam said something similar, he thought you and I were a couple but…"

"But what?"

"I don't know. It just doesn't feel right to me."

"That's what Adam said when I met him." Eve said with a grin.

Lilith frowned. "I don't understand."

"I was already married when I met Adam, to a wonderful man named Gustav. Adam felt uncomfortable with the arrangement at first, Gustav was his friend too, but he soon realised that it is possible for me to love two people at the same time."

"What happened to Gustav?"

Pain flashed over Eve's features. "He died, about twenty years after I met Adam."

"I'm sorry."

"It was a very long time ago. Anyway, you already know that Adam and I live apart for years as a time, and neither of us expects to the other to be celibate."

"So have you done this before, with Adam and someone new?"

"Taken a third person into our family? Almost."

"What happened?"

"He loved us both but he didn't want to leave his family right away so although we disagreed, we delayed turning him. Despite our warnings, he let slip to his family about us, and they told the rest of the village and they hunted us down. We were well able to defend ourselves obviously, but he tried to stop them, reason with them, and… they killed him."

"Oh my God, I'm sorry, Eve."

"People can be cruel, especially when they're scared, and the unknown usually scares them."

"No wonder Adam hates 'zombies'."

"Well, it was a long time ago."

"How long?"

"Three hundred years, give or take."

They lapsed into silence for a few moments.

"What about if I don't want that?" she asked.

"Don't want what, exactly?"

"A _ménage à trois_."

"Well the direct translation of that is a 'household of three' which we already have. We share the house, keep each other company, share innocent intimacy, sleep in the same bed-"

"And don't think for a second that I buy your 'it was delayed' spiel for why my new mattress hasn't been delivered. I didn't understand it but now I think I do. You want something to happen between us, don't you? That's why you keep making Adam help me and spend time with me, isn't it?"

"I hoped he would love you as much as I do, yes. And honestly, given how entwined all our lives are, would adding sex really alter anything?"

"I don't know... I don't want to be the other woman, or some kind of polygamist. That's not who I am."

"What do you want?"

"I don't know."

"Do you want to be a vampire?"

"I… I don't know. If you'd asked a few weeks ago, I'd have said no, that eternal life was my idea of hell."

"And now?"

"Now? Now it doesn't seem so scary… so lonely, but I just don't know."

"Life, however long or short, is all about the people you share it with. They can turn tragedy into hope, and happiness into to joy."

"Would I _have_ to become one of you?"

"Eventually, but it will be your choice."

Silence reined once more.

"Do you know what happened," Eve said softly.

"What do you mean? The kiss?"

"Yes, but not just that. Adam was simply in the moment. I don't believe it was premeditated, he likes you but I don't think even he knows how much, not yet. I'm talking about when your lips touched, and I know that you both felt it."

"Felt what?"

Eve gave her a look that asked if she was seriously trying to deny what had passed between them.

"No, what I mean is, what was it that I felt?"

"There's no word for it in English, but the Chinese call it _yuanfen_. In simple terms, it means that you are fated or destined to meet your soulmate, and that there is a binding force between the two of you, bringing you together."

"I don't believe in fate or destiny," Lilith said.

"Ah, well nor do I, mostly, not in personal matters, but _yuanfen_ only refers to the fact that you will meet your soulmate, not that you are destined to stay together. That sensation you felt, that was you recognising the man you were fated to meet. You can turn your back on it and deny it but if you do, you'll always wonder what might have been,"

"Did you know there would be this _yuan-thing_?" Lilith asked.

"No. It's a rare phenomenon. I've seen it perhaps ten times in four thousand years."

"Have you ever felt it?"

"Oh, yes," Eve said with a satisfied smile. "But only once, when I met Adam. That's how I recognised what passed between you two."

"Wait, if he's your soulmate, how can he be mine too?"

"I don't know. Buddhists believe that _yuanfen_ is a product of our past lives, so it might be because, had Adam died as a human, you would have been fated to meet in this reincarnation."

"You believe in reincarnation?"

"Not exactly. All I know is that there are some things that defy rational explanation. I wish I had all the answers but there are many things that even I don't understand. I have learned not to question them though."

Lilah nodded slowly.

"We should go back inside; you didn't even bring a coat, you'll freeze if you're out here much longer."

"I'm not ready yet. I just need a few more minutes to… calm my head."

"As you wish." Eve enveloped Lilith in a hug and when she pulled away, took her leather jacket off. "At least take this."

"Thank you." She slipped the jacket on.

"We'll be waiting when you're ready."

Eve headed back inside and Lilith turned her face to the night sky, wondering what the hell she was supposed to do with this information.

* * *

Adam was clearly agitated, drumming his fingers on the table and barely able to stop himself approaching Eve as she re-entered, and especially when she stopped at the bar.

"Where is she?" he demanded as Eve finally sat down.

"She's fine, she just wants a few minutes to herself. She'll be cold when she comes back, so I ordered her some more tea."

"Is she upset with me?"

"No, she's upset with herself, she thought she'd betrayed me."

"I told her we don't think that way and besides, _I_ kissed _her_. I meant it to be a platonic kiss, I didn't realise it would affect her so much."

"Just her?" Eve raised a questioning eyebrow but their conversation was halted as the barman approached with the tea.

"No, not just her," Adam answered once they were alone again. "But I'm not the one freaking out, am I?"

"I don't know, I've certainly seen you calmer," Eve said.

Adam glared at her but Eve simply smiled.

"My darling, this is a good thing, the best thing that could have happened."

"How do you work that one out?" Adam asked.

"Because now she knows that you and she are soulmates, and she knows that I'm okay with that."

Adam shook his head. "I'm worried about her, I should go after her."

"Give it another few minutes and if she isn't back, you can go and look."

"When did you turn into my mother?"

Eve laughed. "Any time you start making impulsive decisions, darling."

Adam gave a frustrated sigh. "This is a mess."

"Right now, yes, but things will work out, Adam, they always do."

He put his arm around her. "Are you really okay with this? Sex is one thing but this… whatever that was on stage, that's something else entirely."

Eve realised that he wasn't ready to admit that he had felt the same thing he had when he met Eve, _yuanfen_. And she wouldn't press him to make that realisation, just like she wouldn't press Lilith to. People who are forced or badgered tend to rebel out of spite. The connection between them was strong enough on its own and now that Lilith knew how Eve felt about this development, time would bring them together.

She just prayed it didn't take too long.


	5. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five**

Lilith checked her watch and realised it was almost midnight. There was at least another hour of music at Riley's but she wasn't sure if she was in the mood for it now. She had agreed to play backup for another two people, but she was sure could beg off claiming to be ill, with no hard feelings. No one knew she was coming tonight and if she had decided not to come, they would have made do.

Still, she had given her word.

One good thing about being a survivor, was that you had to develop the ability to look fine, even when you weren't, otherwise everyone would keep asking if you were okay. She had quickly learned that telling the truth, that she had hardly slept in nearly two days because she was having flashbacks, or nightmares, or panic attacks, drove people away. They didn't actually want to help, they just wanted everything to go back to the way it had been before.

'Are you all right?' wasn't so much a question, as a wish. 'I want you to be all right and stop brooding.' 'I wish you'd stop having panic attacks in public, it's embarrassing.' 'Why can't you just be normal?' Those were what most people were really saying when they asked if you were all right.

She pushed her hair out of her face and fluffed up the roots but as she turned to head back inside, she stopped dead.

A shiver had run the length of her spine and she could swear she was being watched. At one time she might have brushed such sensations off as her imagination but no longer, she listened to her instincts these days and as a result, she froze as she tried to determine where the threat was.

Moving her head as little as possible, Lilith looked around. When she saw no one who posed a danger, she dared to turn her head and look behind her.

Nothing.

Then movement caught her eye on a rooftop but when she looked, it was gone. She kept her gaze focused on that same spot, wondering if it would come back

"Lilith?"

That was Adam's voice. Her fear was too high to worry about what had happened with him earlier right now.

"I feel like I'm being watched," she said, not turning to look at him.

He stepped up beside her and followed her gaze.

"Did you see something?"

"A glimpse, movement, nothing more."

He took her hand and gently tugged. "Then come back inside, you'll be safer in there."

She felt safe already, now she was simply curious about what had caught her eye. It could have been an animal, she supposed, perhaps an owl or a bird of prey.

"Come on," he urged again, and this time she allowed him to lead her away, although she threw a few glances over her shoulder.

"Look, about what happened earlier," Adam began to say, and suddenly it all came flooding back to her and she ripped her hand from his grip.

Adam looked hurt.

"I just wanted to say, I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

She wondered why he didn't talk of soulmates and _yuanfen_ and after everything Eve had led her to believe, she felt disappointed. Which was ridiculous, she didn't want this, at least not yet and having Adam mooning over her (metaphorically speaking, of course) would just be annoying and distracting.

So why she feel the sting of rejection?

"Okay," she answered, because what else could she say? 'I want it to happen again?' No, she couldn't tell him that, because she wasn't sure she did.

"Can we just go back to the way things were?" Adam asked. "Back to being friends?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "Were we ever friends?"

"Weren't we?"

"Well if we were, it was a pretty unique friendship. Mind you, so is what have with Eve so…"

"I'll go if you want me to."

"Go?"

"Leave your home. You never actually said that I could stay, remember?"

"I know, but I changed my mind. I don't want you to go, either of you. Any more than that though, I don't know."

Adam smiled slightly, which reminded her of her earlier thoughts; she needed to pretend that she was fine, she reminded herself.

"Okay, friends," she agreed.

The rest of the evening was a little awkward and as soon as they got home, Lilith went down to her studio. Playing music always helped her to think.

She stayed there for the rest of the evening and when she grew tired, she curled up on the sofa down there, locking the door so Eve and Adam knew she didn't want to be disturbed, but sleep wasn't obliging. She was still worked up, both over what had happened with Adam and the feeling she'd had outside the club, of being watched.

Finally she sat up and debated taking a sedative. She'd given blood yesterday and wouldn't need to do so again for at least 24 hours. Her pills had a half-life of eight hours, so they should have cleared her blood stream by the time they needed more blood.

She slipped from the room and found her handbag, retrieving two of the little pills and swallowing them with water. It was now light outside and the house was quiet, so Adam and Eve were probably asleep. As such, she decided to bed down on the sofa in the living room, which was softer and more comfortable that the one in her studio.

She turned the television on and watched a documentary on farming as she curled up and waited for sleep to claim her.

* * *

Lilith was the first one awake that afternoon, which wasn't unusual. She had kept slightly nocturnal hours since her teenage years, a product of insomnia, but ever since Eve had moved in, she was almost completely nocturnal. She did have to do some things in the day time though, so a few times a week she went to sleep an hour or two before Eve, awaking earlier so that she could go out and do whatever errands she had to.

Most people shopped online these days but she had learned soon after Eve came to live with her, that organic food purchased that way, wasn't always organic, there were a lot of scammers out there, so now she purchased her groceries directly from to a few trusted shops and farms.

She was running low on some things, so she had to pop out today and at least get some milk, eggs and vegetables.

She tried to put the events of last night out of her mind as she drove, singing along to her music system.

It was dark when she got back but as she carried her bags inside, she had that strange sensation again, as if someone was watching her. Tonight she ignored it and acted normally, afraid that she would scare it off if she let it know that she could feel its presence. By carrying on, she was hoping that she might catch a glimpse of whatever it was that gave her these feelings.

She put her bags down at the door as she fished in her handbag for the keys, moving under the halogen flood light over the garage, ostensibly to better search her bag. In reality, she already had her keys in her hand and was trying to look around from the corner of her eye.

She saw nothing but the feeling didn't leave and as she turned back towards the house, she did her best to look around surreptitiously her, but nothing seemed out of place.

Maybe she was becoming paranoid.

Adam and Eve came out of the house before she could unlock the door and they seemed worried.

"Where did you go?" Eve asked,

"Shopping." She pointed to the bags.

"We were worried."

Adam collected her bags and Eve ushered her inside.

"I usually go shopping on a Friday," Lilith reminded her.

"Well yes, but after last night, we thought you might be upset."

"I'm fine," Lilith said with a reassuring smile, but Eve didn't look appeased. "What's wrong?" she asked. She knew Eve well enough to realise that there was more to this than worry over a shopping trip.

"I've told you about my sister, haven't I?"

"Ava?"

"Yes. Well Adam had a dream about her last night, and I have a very bad feeling."

"I'll give myself Hepatitis T before I let her feed from me," she assured them, knowing that Ava had killed two of their human friends over the years.

"What?" Adam asked, looking up with a stern expression.

"I said, I'll give myself Hep T before I'd let her feed from me."

"Great, so the virus can kill you too," he said with derision.

"Don't be such an idiot, Adam, I've been vaccinated against it. However, I keep a little vial of freeze dried virus. If take it, my body will fight it off but until it has, any vampires that feed off me will die a rather painful death in roughly one to two days."

"That's… actually quite clever," he admitted.

"Thank you," she smiled. "But until I have fought the virus off, I'll still be able to infect you two, so I'd better start donating extra blood, just in case. Do you have any more transfusion packs?"

"Eight pints," Eve told her.

"Then I'll donate as much as I can and we can freeze it for you, then replace what I've lost with artificial blood. It might be useless to you but I can survive well with that in me, as long as you don't need fresh donations for a while."

"Won't giving blood cut down on your immunity to the Hep T virus?" Adam asked.

"I doubt it, my lymph system should still have white blood cells with the antibodies. You're not supposed to need it but I get a booster vaccination every year, just in case, and my last one was only three months ago. I'll up my dose of vitamins too. We'll have to wait until tomorrow to start the transfusions though, I took a sleeping pill last night."

"I think it can wait. The dream just signals that she's looking for us," Eve said. "She still has to travel and you know how difficult that can be for us."

"Okay, good. I wonder where I put that poison ring?" She asked rhetorically.

"Poison ring?" Adam asked.

"The stone in the ring is hollow, hiding a compartment. I'll put the powdered virus in there and if I feel in danger, I can snort it. It should easily pass through the mucous membrane in my nose and directly into my blood stream."

"Where did you learn all this?" Adam asked.

"I've been donating to Eve for over four years, I've had plenty of time to do my research into what to do should one of you try to kidnap me."

Adam looked impressed.

"Anyway, right now I need to unpack before that food goes bad, then I need to take a bath."

"I'll dig that ring out for you," Eve said, leaving the room.

Lilith considered telling her not to, she would be going through Lilith's personal possessions after all, but she didn't. Eve likely wouldn't take no for an answer anyway.

Adam began unpacking the shopping bags. "You look tired," he said.

"Yeah, I my sedatives always leave me feeling a little hungover."

"We missed you."

Lilith looked at him, debating how to answer.

"I missed you too," she finally admitted softly.

"I understand your reticence but with Ava on the horizon, I'd feel happier if you slept with one of us until she's gone. I'll take the couch if you want to stay with Eve."

"Let me think about it." She already knew she'd agree, she just wasn't sure that she should.

"Of course." His easy acceptance made her feel better. "And please don't leave the house without one of us."

"I went out in daylight, she's no danger to me then."

"But you got back after dark. With winter coming, the nights are getting longer."

"I'll take the gun with me."

"Good idea, but I'd prefer it if you also took one of us."

She really didn't like that idea. "I don't want to give up the sun, not completely."

"It won't be for long," he assured her, coming up behind her and resting his hands on her shoulders. "I have no intention of letting her stay."

"What about Eve?"

"I think she realises that Ava's never going to change. Trust me, she'll do whatever's necessary to keep you safe."

"Well, let's hope it doesn't come to that."

* * *

Two nights later, Lilith rested on a chaise lounge, with Mozart softly playing in the background, while they prepared to harvest her blood.

The greatest dangers from short term, high volume blood loss, was a lack of oxygen to her cells. To counteract that, Adam had stolen an oxygen tank from the local hospital, saline solution to replace some of the lost fluid and keep her blood pressure up, and a heart monitor, which was attached to her chest and finger, to let them know when her heart rate rose too high, or her oxygen dipped too low.

She couldn't receive the transfusion until she had completed the donation, since artificial blood was useless to vampires.

The back of her left hand already had a cannula inserted, ready for fluids and the artificial blood transfusion to be administered through.

She hadn't eaten, worried that undigested food in her stomach would negatively affect her recovery, instead she had drunk lots of fruit juice for the carbohydrates, and the added benefit of helping her replace the lost fluids.

She knew she would pass out but she trusted them to keep her safe. Adam especially knew a lot about the science of phlebotomy. He sat to her left, ready to take her blood, while Eve sat on the other side, ready to administer the fluids and transfusion.

"Ready?" Adam asked her.

She nodded, and he turned the oxygen tank on and slipped the mask over her nose and mouth, securing it with elastic around her head.

He took her hand and squeezed it, then applied the tourniquet to her upper arm, making the veins in her elbow bulge. He pulled a donation bag out and detached the tubing, then he took the cap off the needle and ran the tube into the first measuring beaker, so he knew exactly how much was being taken.

Eve squeezed her right hand and at Adam's questioning look, she nodded, 'do it'.

He slipped the needle into the vein, then removed the tourniquet.

Lilith took deep breaths and tried to relax, her right hand clutching Eve's tightly.

Each beaker held half a litre, or about a pint, and she hoped to be able to donate five pints, maybe six. Given her height and weight, she probably only had 9 pints of blood in her, so six was unlikely. Still, she had read stories of when bloodletting was considered a treatment. One Frenchman in the 1800s was stabbed and over the next 24 hours, surgeons removed more than half of his normal blood supply, thinking they were helping him, and that was in addition to having lost enough blood from his stab wound to pass out, yet by some miracle, he had lived.

Adam intended to take his time, drawing the donations out over a few hours to minimise the shock that blood loss could cause.

After the first pint, she was given a glass of strained apple juice. She didn't feel any ill effects yet but was feeling more relaxed and urged them to talk to her. Eve began telling her tales far off lands and ancient times, stories easily as gripping as the average audiobook.

Two hours and three pints later, she was feeling a little light headed and perhaps a little high. As a forth pint leaked into a beaker, she decided to tease Adam.

"You know, there was one good thing to come out of what happened at Riley's?" she said.

"Oh?" he raised one eyebrow.

"I now know you have teeth."

He looked confused.

"You were smiling," she explained. "Before you… well, you know. Until that moment, I wasn't a hundred percent certain that you had teeth because I'd never seen them."

He shook his head at her comment, but another smile tugged at the corners of his lips, although he seemed to be trying to fight it.

"Go on, do it again," she goaded. "Show me those pearly whites. You know you want to."

He smiled.

"There, see, that didn't hurt, did it?" He looked lovely when he smiled, she decided.

"Do I?" he asked, clearly amused.

"Did I say that last but out loud? Because I mean to say you're hideously ugly."

"Did you now?"

"Yes." She was half way through the fourth pint now, she felt drowsy enough to close her eyes.

"Are you all right?" Eve asked.

"Mmm. Jus' tired," she told them.

"Then sleep, darling."

"We'll see you soon," Adam reassured her.

"You better not… let me die," she managed to say. "I'll come back… haunt your bony arse."

"I do not have a bony arse!" were the last words she heard before she drifted off to sleep, a small smile on her lips.

* * *

Lilith awoke a few times and could hear them talking, but was too weak to open her eyes. Eve sounded worried, and even Adam sounded concerned, although he was more in control. She gathered that they were feeling her through an IV drip and she wondered how long she had been asleep, for them to have done that, but the idea of sleep was too appealing for her to worry much.

* * *

"Adam?" When she was finally ready to wake up properly, she could remember everything, so her lethargy didn't worry her.

"I'm here." She felt his arms tighten around her.

She could feel that she was literally sandwiched between them, her head on Adam's chest, while Eve was pressed in behind her.

"Everything okay?" Lilith asked.

"Everything's fine." Adam assured her.

"Good. I didn't want to be a ghost."

"Go back to sleep," Eve urged, stroking her hair.

"I've slept enough," she answered and with some effort, managed to open her eyes. "What day is it?"

"Tuesday," Eve answered.

"I slept for two days?"

"Almost," Adam answered.

"How did it go?" Lilith wanted to know.

"Very well," Adam answered. "We harvested just over six pints before we had to start transfusing you."

"I'm not a crop, Adam."

"Of course not, you're a feast."

Lilith raised her head off his chest, somewhat reluctantly, and looked into his teasing eyes.

"Eve, does it still hurt if you kick a vampire in the balls?" She didn't stop glaring at Adam.

"I believe it does," Eve answered with mirth.

"Good to know."

"I'd like to see you try." Adam smirked.

"You are aware that when you sleep, it takes a herd of elephants to wake you, right? The next time you close your eyes, think about that."

"Think about you feeling me up in my sleep? Oh, I will." He answered with a salacious smirk.

Lilith was already feeling lethargic.

"I need a drink. And a bath, I feel icky."

"Icky?" Adam sounded appalled. "You're supposed to be a grown woman."

"And you're supposed to be a dour, humourless depressive and, oh look, you are."

"I think someone's feeling better," Eve said, propping her head up on her hand.

"But _icky_ , apparently," Adam added.

"Oh, shut up."

She placed her hands on his bare chest to manoeuvre off him but the moment she did, she felt the same sensation from a few nights ago and looking into his eyes, she could see that he felt it too.

She felt trapped by his gaze, unable to look away. He licked his lips and she felt her heart flutter in reply. There was something she wanted to do, she was sure, she just couldn't remember what it was right now.

"Adam…"

"Lilith?"

She didn't know what she wanted to say.

"Come on," Eve said, breaking whatever spell has fallen over them. "Let's get you cleaned up."

Lilith quickly clambered off him before she could do or say anything silly.

"She looks clean enough to me." Adam said.

"Says the man who hasn't washed his hair since 1901," Lilith quipped.

"It was 2001 actually," he answered so smoothly that she had to wonder of he was serious.

"He's teasing," Eve assured her, leading her into their bathroom.


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Happy Monday! And thanks to the few who are enjoying and commenting on this story, your comments really inspire me to keep going.

**Chapter Six**

They mostly stayed close to the house for the next two days, while Lilith recovered, with Adam leaving only to get food for her, as well as supplies for his latest project.

Lilith played her music, read a little and watched movies with Eve, while Adam did god only knew what in her spare room. On the second night he locked himself away, curiosity got the better of her and she knocked on the door.

"Come in."

She opened the door and found a room that resembled a chemistry lab.

"Pretty sure a science lab wasn't on the deeds. What are you doing in here?" she asked.

"Just a few experiments," he answered, his gaze focused on the microscope before him.

"Into?"

"Transmission, reflection and absorption of light."

"Oh. Okay. Why?"

"It was either this, or rewire your house, and Eve said you might not like that."

"Probably not," she agreed, wandering around but careful not to touch anything. "Are those UV lamps?"

"Yes." He didn't look up.

"Why?"

"To test compositions."

"Are you intentionally being obtuse?" she asked.

Finally he looked up at her. "I'm concentrating. Can I help you with something?"

"No, I was just curious."

"There's no point explaining it unless I'm successful."

"Okay, fine." She backed towards the door. "I'll leave you to your man cave."

* * *

Adam was upstairs, still tinkering the following night, when the doorbell rang. In a second he was standing beside Lilith, who had been playing her piano in the lounge; Eve was sitting on the couch, where she had been listening to her. They all shared worried looks.

"I'll go," Eve said, leaving the room calmly but with hurried steps.

Adam could hear Ava's voice as Eve answered the door and he stepped closer to Lilith, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Who is it?" Lilith asked.

"Ava," he answered, his tone dark.

Lilith placed a hand over his and he squeezed her shoulder reassuringly.

"Don't worry," he tried to reassure her. "She won't be staying."

Lilith watched as Eve half carried and half dragged Ava into her living room.

"Get her out of here," Adam told Eve.

"Darling, she's starving, we can't send her away in this state, she won't last the night."

"So you want to give her some of…" he glanced at Lilith, "our blood?" he sounded incredulous.

"Please," Ava begged, although her voice was weak. "I'm sorry but I had nowhere else to go. Please help me."

The helplessness in her voice tugged at Lilith's heartstrings and she had to remind herself that Ava wasn't a child, she was a few hundred years old, and a killer to boot.

Adam looked down to Lilith, one eyebrow raised in a silent question; her blood, her choice.

She shrugged slightly, unable to refuse Eve a request that would kill Eve's sister, but not exactly happy about her blood being drunk by this woman.

Eve and Adam glared at each other for a moment, then Eve gestured for him to go and fetch some blood.

"Fine," he answered tightly. "Come on." He took Lilith's hand and dragged her after him.

She waited until they were out of the room to inform him that his grip was rather too tight.

"Oww! Let go!"

He glared at her for a moment, until he registered that she was trying to tug her hand out of his.

"Sorry." He instantly released her. "Follow me... please."

Lilith trailed after him, feeling that between Eve and Adam, he was the one who would take her side against Ava, while Eve would straddle the fence, trying to keep the peace. Ordinarily that wouldn't be a bad thing but her refusal to listen to Adam in the past hadn't ended well for their human company.

She watched as he got a container of blood out and fetched a hi-ball glass.

"Are you okay with this?" he asked.

"No, but I don't want her to die or anything," she said, twisting the poison ring that now resided on the middle finger of her left hand. "I'm frightened but she hasn't actually done anything to hurt me."

Adam poured a very large measure into a glass, more than he had needed when he first arrived.

"Does she need that much?" Lilith asked.

"Judging from how thin and tired she is, she needs at least this much." He gave her a questioning look.

"No, give it to her but… well that's a quarter of your remaining supply and I can't donate again for another few days. Even then, I'm not sure if I can feed all three of you."

"Don't worry, Ava won't be staying."

"Are you sure about that?" she asked. He had told her that she wouldn't be allowed into the house.

His expression showed doubt. "The university has a medical research facility at the hospital, they do blood research."

"Can't you steal the blood taken for testing?"

"That's far more likely to be contaminated than just picking someone at random off the street."

She hadn't thought of that.

"Don't worry," he assured her. "I've already been running background checks into the researchers, seeing who would be the most receptive to a bribe."

They headed back to the lounge, where Ava was lying on one couch, curled into Eve with the blonde stroking her hair. Ava appeared to be asleep.

"Come on, Baby," Eve tried to rouse her as she saw Adam returning. She looked to Lilith. "Thank you."

Lilith shrugged in reply.

Taking the glass from Adam, Eve coaxed Ava to drink and after a sip, she tried to grab the glass, almost spilling its contents. Luckily Eve still had a firm grip and only a little sloshed out, landing on Lilith's cream couch.

Adam directed Lilith to the opposite couch, sitting protectively on the arm as they waited for Ava to finish. The child-like vampire entered the blissful stage of feeding, her head lolling and a dreamy smile on her lips, but Eve roused her after a few minutes.

"That was yummy," Ava said. "I want more."

"You can't have more," Adam answered. "We only have a limited supply and you've already had too much of it."

Eve gave him a chiding look and sat Ava up.

"Now come on, tell us what's happened," Eve encouraged her.

"I don't care what happened," Adam snapped. "We've fed her, which is more than she deserves, so send her on her way."

"It'll be daylight soon; she can't leave until tonight, so we might as well find out what caused this."

"It wasn't my fault!" Ava's blood-high seemed to be rapidly fading.

"What wasn't your fault?" Eve asked.

"It's Elric, he wants to kill me."

"Elric? What the hell are you doing getting involved with him?"

"I wasn't 'involved' and anyway, what was I supposed to do? Refuse him?"

"Yes! You know my history with him! I can't believe you would be so foolish."

"So what happened?" Adam asked.

"He's hunting me."

"Oh, Ava!" Lilith didn't think that Eve sounded surprised or upset, exactly, more resigned.

"Please let me stay with you, you're the only person he's afraid of, he won't hurt me as long as I'm with you."

"No!" came Adam's immediate answer.

"Adam," Eve cautioned him.

Lilith watched the interactions with interest (and a small amount of fear) trying to work out who this Elric was to Eve.

"No, Eve, she's not trustworthy and you know as well as I do that if we let her stay, something bad will happen. It always does when she's around."

"We can't just throw her out, you know what Elric is like, he'll kill her, and not quickly."

"If he's so fearsome, then why is she still alive?"

That seemed to stump Eve for a moment and Lilith saw hesitation on her features. "Ava?"

"I don't know." She pouted. "But he said he was giving me a head start, to make it sporting."

Lilith didn't believe her.

Eve looked to Adam and they engaged in a silent battle of wills for a few moments.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Adam asked.

"What?"

"This isn't _our_ home."

Eve looked to Lilith, who felt slightly insulted that she had been left out until now, but also a little fearful to have been dragged into their argument, mainly because she couldn't refuse Eve.

"Lilith?"

Lilith took a few moments to compose her thoughts.

"I don't want her to stay here," she admitted. "But I also don't want to hurt you, and I know that her death would hurt you."

"Is that a yes?"

"No, not exactly. Eve, you know I love you, but you're talking about bringing a vampire vendetta to my door, to save someone who thinks nothing of killing my kind by accident; only a fool would be okay with that."

Adam squeezed her shoulder in support of her words. "She's right, Eve, you have no reason to expect this of her."

"I know you're both right, I'm asking a lot," Eve said, sitting forward on the sofa and looking directly at Lilith. "Please believe that I won't hold it against you if you say no, but I'm asking you to allow Ava sanctuary in your home."

Lilith pressed her lips together, almost as if she was trying not to blurt out an answer.

"Can you guarantee that Ava won't hurt me?"

"Why would I hurt you?" Ava asked, but Eve silenced her with a look.

"I can." Adam answered. "If she tries anything, I'll kill her myself."

Eve didn't exactly look pleased with his declaration but she didn't contradict him either. "I promise that Ava won't hurt you."

Although this Elric character worried her, she couldn't ask them to guarantee that he wouldn't hurt her, because they couldn't. Besides, they were in as much, if not more danger from him.

Lilith tilted her head back to look at Adam.

"Your home, your choice," he said, sounding resigned.

She felt bad for not backing him up and kicking Ava out but how could she? Without Eve she was certain that she would have died in that dark, London alley way, and at just 18 years old she hadn't even truly lived yet. Eve now wanted to protect someone else and it felt unfair to deny her.

"Okay." She nodded.

"Come on," Adam said to Lilith, moving his hand from her shoulder to grasp hers. "We'll put the new bed together and let you two catch up."

He had a face like sour milk but Eve seemed pleased that he had acquiesced.

Instead of ordering Lilith a new mattress, Eve had taken the liberty of ordering a whole new bed (and had chosen an out of stock model, so that the delivery would be delayed). It had finally arrived while Lilith was unconscious after her bloodletting, and been stacked against the wall in her room but since she hadn't slept in her own room since then, it hadn't been assembled. Nor had her old divan been moved out yet, so there was no space in her room for the second bed to be put up.

"Let's move it to one of the back bedrooms," Lilith said. "I don't like the idea of her sleeping in my room, it feels weird."

"Good idea."

They shifted the boxes which housed the frame to another room and began opening them.

"So, who is Elric?" Lilith asked as they began to assemble the bed.

"An ancient vampire," Adam explained. "The name Elric comes from Ælfric and he's one of Eve's people, originally, that is."

"And why does he hate her?"

"The name Ælfric comes from Germanic mythology and folklore, and literally means elf rule. He served as a godlike figure among the Bructeri and he's the one who turned Eve. When the Romans invaded Britain, he sided with them, seeing an opportunity to be worshipped by a more advanced civilisation. Eve sided with her people and attempted to stop him. She succeeded and he lost his divinity in the Bructeri's eyes and consequently, his place of prominence in society. The two have been at war ever since. It dies down for a while but every few hundred years, he comes back for another go."

"Wow," That was a lot of information to process. "So were she and Elric lovers? Is that why he turned her?"

"No, but that's what he wanted, that's why he turned her, to make her so grateful that she'd feel beholden to him. He also hoped to alienate her from her family, either because they were afraid of her, or because she too had become divine thanks to her new gifts. He just forgot that she was a kind and loving person, despite her new status, and also that as a vampire, she was as strong as he was and far better able to… resist his advances."

If Lilith was reading what he wasn't saying correctly, that explained why Eve had rescued her from her rapists. It had always bothered Lilith that during the media riots, Eve had picked her and her alone to rescue, although there were hundreds of innocent bystanders being hurt and killed all over London that week.

"Hang on, the Roman invasion was 2000 years ago, so why haven't they already killed each other?" Lilith asked.

"It's not as easy as it sounds," Adam answered. "Pass me the hex key."

She did and he began tightening the hexagonal socket screws in.

"In the beginning, Elric had taken what he wanted but he had never had her heart, mind or loyalty, and he wanted her to give herself to him, of her own free will. After he turned her, he still hoped to convince her to see things his way but after the invasion, he preferred to hurt her. He'd leave her alone for long enough to forge connections, then come along and wipe them out, or try to. He hoped that she would give herself to him to end the carnage. Around the time of the Magna Carta, he finally decided to go in for the kill but he made the mistake of thinking that Eve was always as placid and nurturing as she seems, so he failed."

"I can see why he's think that," Lilith said. "When I met her, I witnessed her maiming five men and I still find it hard to believe that was her."

"Eve doesn't enjoy conflict but she will fight for those she loves."

"So why hasn't Eve killed him?"

"Partly because she doesn't enjoy killing, it isn't really part of her nature. After an attack, especially if he's been successful, she tries but her anger fades, in time. Mostly though, she hasn't been able to because he's too smart. Elric is psychotic but he isn't stupid. He has gone as long as 400 years between attacks on her; planning and watching, waiting. He knows how to keep himself hidden and he's a skilled manipulator who surrounds himself with an entourage, like a cult leader or something. His followers cater to his needs and protect him, so killing Elric means killing his followers first, by which time he's usually long gone."

Lilith silently digested what he had told her.

"I came close once," he admitted. "I was young and foolish but bravado carried me most of the way. I was lucky to escape with my life, but I did manage to take his hand."

"Can't he grow it back or something? Some reptiles can."

Adam chuckled. "I'm afraid not. The stump heals quickly but we aren't reptiles."

"So what do you think he's doing now?"

"I don't know." Adam admitted. "Given what I did to him, his vendetta is probably aimed at me now, as much as Eve. He will have a plan but I can't fathom what it is."

"Well he didn't kill Ava, so maybe he's trying psychological warfare? Terrorising you two into submission, rather than killing people she cares about."

"Maybe." He didn't sound convinced and they worked in silence for a few moments.

"So who is Ava? Eve calls her a sister so did she turn her?"

"I human terms, she'd be a niece."

"So Elric turned others?"

"Hundreds over the years; his followers don't normally live long lives. A few have managed to escape his clutches and they usually seek out Eve, who helps them adjust to life."

"What do you mean, adjust?"

"Elric regulates how much they know and outright lies to them. Eve shows them what it truly means to be a vampire, how to obtain blood without using slaves or killing, how to hide from the authorities, that kind of thing."

"Why doesn't anyone stop him?"

"Like who?" Adam looked over as he asked. "Eve and I have tried. Do you think zombies could fare any better? Perhaps we should let the FBI turn it into another Waco?"

That didn't sound so stupid to Lilith and she shrugged. "I'm betting a day time raid with a few grenades and some smart bombs would solve the problem."

"Maybe," he had to agree. "But once zombies find out about us, they won't stop there, they'll hunt us all down."

Sadly, he had a point. "Okay, but if we find out where he is, can't you whip up a batch of TNT in your lab, or something? Then we can buy a toy drone and drop a massive bomb on them."

"To do that, we have to find out where he is and I'm sorry to say, that is a lot harder than it sounds."

They finished the bed and Lilith went to find some bedding.

"There, that should hold," she heard Adam say as she came back in.

"I hope not, I kind of want her to fall out in the middle of the night."

Adam smirked as she placed the bedding on the end of the mattress.

"Need a hand?" he asked.

"No, she can put her own bedding on. I'm not her maid."

"True."

Lilith peeked out of the window. "About half an hour until dawn, do you want to go down to the studio and play something?"

"Good idea." He agreed.

* * *

They were both sitting on the couch in the studio, acoustic guitars in hand as they played with various tunes.

It was gone dawn when Eve came down and interrupted them. "I'm going to sleep with Ava tonight, she's a bit shaken up and I want to keep an eye on her."

"What did she have to say for herself after we left?" Adam wanted to know.

"Not much more than you already know. She said one of Elric's minions befriended her a few months ago and offered her shelter, which she accepted. She claims that she didn't know he was taking her to Elric and as soon as she got there, he threw her out, promising to hunt her down."

"Do you think he followed her here?" Adam asked.

"Probably."

"Then we'd better be ready for anything."

"Agreed, but it's too late for them to try anything tonight."

Adam nodded his agreement. Eve hugged Lilith good night, then kissed Adam and left.

"Are you ready to turn in?" Adam asked. "Lilith?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you ready for bed?" he repeated.

"Oh, um, maybe…"

"What are you thinking about? And please don't tell me you're squeamish about sleeping alone with me."

"What? Oh, no, not that."

"Then what?"

"I was wondering about the motion sensitive halogen lamps outside."

"Why?"

"Because you had tanning lamps in your laboratory. If we could alter the halogen lamps to accept UV bulbs, the house is protected, then at least we don't have to worry about attack here."

"They can shoot them out."

"True, but then we have a warning and we might take a few of them out in the process, especially if we do it today, while they're asleep."

"It's an idea."

"It's more than an idea, it's a great plan, as long as you can modify the halogen lamps for UV bulbs."

"No need," he said. "If we coat the front pane of glass with phosphor, it will filter and convert the light."

"Fantastic. Where do we get phosphor?"

"There are three types we can use, europium-doped with either strontium fluoroborate or strontium borate, or alternatively there's lead-doped barium silicate."

"Great, and as for the where-do-we-buy-it part?"

"I'll make some phone calls."

"Then I'll go outside and remove the glass and we can get straight on this when I get back."

As she moved to get up, Adam grabbed her hand. "Wait."

"What?" she asked turning back.

"You shouldn't go out alone."

"The sun is up, Adam, I'll be fine. And anyway, it's not I'm going anywhere, just outside."

"All right, just… be careful."

Although she thought he was worrying over nothing, the concern in his eyes touched her.

"Promise."

* * *

Adam found a chemistry supply warehouse that sold supplies for laboratories and schools. Unfortunately, it was in Stirling so after a strong cup of coffee, Lilith set off to purchase what they needed. They wanted such a small amount of the chemicals, only enough to coat four small panes of glass, that their request was granted even although they didn't have the necessary licences (thanks in part to a bribe).

Adam had almost come with her, saying he would hide under blankets in the back, but she had forced him to stay behind. Besides, what use was a bodyguard who couldn't leave his blanket cocoon in the car?

Everything went without a hitch, and she spun the attendee a tale of her crazy, inventor boss, who was working on a new light source. He didn't seem to care once he had his bribe.

The return journey was as easy as the outgoing trip and she was back well before 11am. She parked in the garage, so the car would be safe from the UV lights, in case they had to make a quick getaway. She entered the house through the connecting door to find that Adam, despite her orders to rest, was pacing the front hall, waiting for her.

"Are you all right?" he demanded, taking her by the shoulders as soon as the door was open and looking her over.

"Fine," she assured him, brandishing a carrier bag. "And I got the goods."

He pulled her into a tight hug. "Good."

It was rather awkward, thanks to the bag being squashed between their bodies but he didn't hold on for long.

"Let's get this done," he said, leading her to the spare room he was working from.

"Why the hell _do_ you have so many sun lamps in here?" she asked while she watched him coating the glass panes. He had prepared them while she was out, so the phosphorus would stick to the glass

"I'm trying to make a sunblock," he answered. "I need this many so that the light is the same strength as natural sunlight."

"We already have sunblock."

"I know, but nothing that blocks sunlight completely."

"So what, you're trying to make a factor 100 or something? Why?"

He looked up and caught her eye. "Because you said you'd didn't want to give up daylight. I thought that if I could perfect a sun block, you might not have to give it up completely. You'd still have to be careful, probably only going out near dusk or dawn, wear a large sun hat and long sleeves, and exceptionally strong sunglasses, but maybe you could go out in the day, sometimes. "

"When did I say that?"

"When we found out Ava was coming."

She frowned, not remembering that having been a part of the conversation.

"I told you I didn't want you to go out without one of us and you said, ' _I don't want to give up the sun, not completely_ '."

"Wow, that's really…"

"Creepy?" he asked.

"I was going to go with 'sweet', but we can use your word," she answered, a smile on her lips at the same time as tears were pricking her eyes. "I can't believe you're doing all this for me."

Beyond having her basic needs met by her father, she had never really been cared for. Until Eve, no one had gone to any trouble to surprise her, or to make her smile, or done something unnecessary, just because she would like it.

Eve had shown her what it was like to be loved. Adam was going beyond that now, and showing her how it felt to be cherished.

Adam looked pleased by her reaction.

He turned a small fan on the glass to dry the phosphorus quickly, testing how wet it was with his finger.

"I think the first one should be ready in five minutes or so."

"So does the sun block work?" she asked.

"Not well enough yet, why?"

"I just wondered. If it did, we might have a secret weapon and we could set a trap using your sun lamps."

"It's a nice thought but I'm probably three to six months away from something usable."

"What are you using?"

"I'm trying a mixture of molecules that absorb, scatter or reflect light. The most hopeful is something NASA invented, tiny carbon tubes, about a hundredth the width of a human hair, that absorb more light than any other known substance. Right now it's only effective if painted on and dried, but no one wants to walk around while painted black, do they?"

"That might be a little weird," she agreed. "Might as well go out wearing a mud pack."

"I'm trying to turn it into a gel or cream and hopefully something either clear, or dyed skin coloured, so it's not obvious."

"You don't have to, you know. If I do decide to change, I know what I'm getting into."

"Well, I've started now, I may as well finish. As you say, it might even have other uses." He patted the edges of the glass with his finger. "They're ready."

She approached him and held him tightly. "Thank you."

"My pleasure," he answered, but his voice sounded tired, so she released him quicker than she might have otherwise.

He found a torch, turned it on and carefully, holding a glass plate by the edges, moved it in front of the beam.

"Hold that," he told her, and she did, making sure to aim the light away from him.

He surprised her by sticking his right hand into the beam and although she moved the torch immediately, he still cried out and clutched his hand to his chest.

"Fuck!"

Lilith dropped the torch and glass onto the workbench and turned back to him. "Let me see," she ordered.

"It's okay, it's healing."

"Let me see!"

He relented and she caught a glimpse of bone, before his palm healed over before her eyes.

"You're insane!" she cried.

"How else were we going to test it?"

"A light meter!" she yelled. "Oh my god, is that what we've been doing with the sunblock, testing it on yourself?"

"Yes."

Although she had a temper, she surprised even herself when she slapped him. "You stupid, dumb, idiotic, thoughtless, masochistic idiot!" She punctuated each work with a push to his chest, until she had backed him into the wall. "Do you have some kind of death wish or something? Because I'm sure I can fashion a stake if you do."

"I was trying to do something nice for you."

"Yeah, by basically cremating yourself! If you want to self-harm, you do not put that one me, just bloody cut yourself like everyone else does!" She was still breathing heavily but her anger was abating somewhat. "What if something went wrong, huh? You'd be ashes before anyone could reach you."

"Careful, someone might think you care."

"I do care, you prat."

His expression softened and he reached out, brushing away a tear with the thumb of his right hand. She hadn't realised she was crying.

"I'm sorry."

"Promise me you won't do it again," she demanded.

"I can't, but I can promise that I'll put safety procedures in place, an automatic cut off on the lights or something."

"But that hurt," she said, removing his hand from her face and studying the palm. It looked as good as new but she could vividly remember the pain on his features.

"No worse than you stubbing a toe."

"The difference is, I don't go around intentionally kicking furniture. If I did, you could yell at me for it."

"Fine, I'll find another way," he told her.

"You promise?"

"I promise."

She relaxed. "Thank you."

"It's late," he reminded her. "We should get this finished and go to bed."

She nodded and stepped away from him.

* * *

It felt odd to be sharing a bed with just Adam, but not as odd as she might have thought. He was already under the covers and she changed into her night things in the bathroom.

"Did everything go all right?" he asked as she emerged.

"Yup. Any vampire who gets within ten feet of this place will be fried. I hope you weren't planning on going out any time soon."

She climbed in beside him, feeling slightly reticent now that Eve wasn't with them, but Adam quickly pulled her against him and she settled there.

"What time is it?" she asked, her voice thick from lethargy.

"About noon."

She raised her head off his shoulder and looked down at him for a moment, before kissing him on the corner of his mouth.

"Thank you for your help."

"Thank you for trying to keep us safe."

She settled against him again, her head on his chest and the gently rise and fall of breaths relaxing her.

"I hope we get a lie in," she said, moments before sleep claimed her.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Just a quick FYI, the no reflection for vampires actually comes from the OLLA deleted scenes. I have three vampire books so I have heavily researched vampires and their mythology, and that superstition comes from the silver (used as the reflective backing) that mirrors used to have and silver is often used for purification and repelling evil/magic in supernatural mythology. 
> 
> As a science geek, I have always hated the mirror thing (and the no casting shadows but that’s another rant) because it just doesn’t make sense and even if it was ‘true’, why don’t their clothes show up? They should look like the invisible man when seen in a mirror, but they never do. 
> 
> Added to that, I particularly hate it in this film because vampires also weren’t supposed to show up in photographs, primarily because silver iodide is highly photosensitive and was used to coat the photographic plates in early photography, such as daguerreotype, calotype and the collodion process (I also write historical novels and have had to research photpgraphy) yet in this movie, we have the mirror myth but also Adam and Eve in Victorian era photographs. ARGH! Yeah, so it’s in here because it’s part of the movie mythology, that’s all. 
> 
> Unless stated in the film, all other mythology is my own, a product of my research into various vampire myths and I’ve picked what fits with what we know about this universe, or what makes most sense to me and fits with my story.
> 
> The deleted scenes can be found here, one mirror scene is at 15.18 and the second is at 20.38 https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6AHMvd3bUC3bzE2WW5FdW1zNHM/edit

**Chapter Seven**

They were awoken by Ava jumping on the bed the next night.

"Come on, wake up! You can't sleep the night away."

"Get off me!" Lilith said, kicking out and although she landed a blow, it wasn't forceful thanks to her legs being padded by the quilt.

"It's been dark for two hours!"

"We were up late this morning," Lilith explained. "Now go away."

"Why were you up late? Will I have a new sister soon?"

"No! We were protecting the house."

"Ohh, sounds interesting."

"It's not," Adam interrupted. "Now go away."

"Come on, you must be hungry by now."

"Ava!" Eve's voice came from the door. "I told you to leave them be."

"But you won't let us eat until they're up."

"For God's sake, Ava, stop acting like an addict!" It was unusual to hear Eve shout and Lilith managed to pry her eyes open to look.

"But I'm really _really_ hungry!"

"Then go and find your own dinner! While you live here, you live by our rules and given your antics the last time two you have visited us, you need to accept that you can't be trusted."

Ava pouted as Eve dragged her away.

Lilith gave a long sigh. "I guess we'd better get up then."

"I guess so."

Reluctantly, she left the warmth and comfort of the bed.

When she emerged from the bathroom, Adam was sitting up in bed with his tablet computer.

"What are you doing?" Lilith asked.

"Your UV light plan gave me an idea."

"Oh?"

"The last time we faced Elric, the most modern technology at our disposal was an oil lamp and candles. If like some vampires, Elric hasn't kept up with the times, maybe there's more technology we can use against him. Even dynamite hadn't been invented back then."

"When was the last time?"

"Turn of the seventeenth century."

"What happened, exactly?"

Adam was silent for a long time and she thought he wouldn't answer.

"A member of our family died."

Lilith did the maths, the turn of the seventeenth century would have been 1600, so "Was it her first husband? Gustav?"

"It was Gustav, but he wasn't her husband, not in law. She didn't legally marry until she met me. They'd been companions for more than a century though, he was very special to her… and to me."

Lilith didn't know how to reply to that, and she felt bad for dampening his enthusiasm.

"So, what kinds of technologies were you thinking of using?" she asked.

"First, I thought about GPS; if we can get a tracker onto a follower or vehicle, we can follow the signal back to Elric's base."

"That's a good plan." She came and joined him on the bed so she could see his screen. He was looking up a list of covert GPS trackers. He rested the tablet on his legs so he could put one arm around her shoulders.

"There's also mustard gas or spray."

"That works on vampires?"

"It does, it only causes a mild burns but it might be enough to help you get away. That's where the superstition of putting mustard seeds on a roof came about."

"So what about garlic?" she wanted to know.

"Propaganda, to stop people remembering that mustard seeds can hurt us," He explained. "Do you have any ideas?"

"What about Tasers?"

"Electricity hurts but doesn't incapacitate."

"Sound?"

"How do you mean?"

"Your hearing is more sensitive than humans. Would really loud music or high pitched noise hurt?"

"Death by boom box?" he asked.

Lilith laughed. "A boom box?" she asked. "You're showing your age, old man."

"Am I?" he didn't seem offended.

"Oh, and light!" she said enthusiastically. "It's not much good for self-defence but if we find their base, flashbang grenades would help."

"Flashbang?"

"Look it up," she said.

Adam navigated to an article. "They produce a blinding magnesium flash to temporarily blind, and a loud bang which can briefly deafen and upset with the fluid in the ear, creating balance problems."

"We can probably get them from the same man who sold me the gun."

"Aren't they illegal for civilians?"

"Yeah, but so are guns."

"Still, if they come tonight, that won't help us."

"Do you think they will?"

"I doubt it, Ava was probably followed by one or two people, who will report back. It's impossible to say how long it will take the others to get here. It depends where they're coming from. They could be here in a day or two."

"Then why don't we run?"

It didn't escape his notice that she had said 'we' not 'you'.

"Running puts us on the back foot. Better to stay and plan than be caught unawares."

"We need to know what Ava knows."

"We do," he agreed. "And we need more blood."

"That can wait. You've got probably three day's supply, maybe four if you're very careful."

Adam tightened the arm around her shoulders. "What about you, how are you holding up?"

Lilith leaned into him.

"Okay, I think."

"You think?"

"Honestly? This is so far outside my frame of reference, I don't think I know enough to be afraid."

"At least you know that you should be afraid."

"That's something," she said with a slight chuckle. She pulled away and turned her body to face him. "Thank you for worrying about me."

Adam reached out and ran the back of his index finger over her cheek.

"You make it sound as if I have a choice."

"Don't you?" she asked softly.

"Do you?" he countered.

Lilith didn't know how to answer that. The truth was that no, she couldn't help but worry about him but she wasn't ready to admit that yet, fearful that any admission might change the delicate friendship that had built.

"We should probably get up now," Adam said eventually.

"Yeah," Lilith agreed, somewhat sadly.

* * *

"Come on, admit it; you like it," Lilith goaded Adam.

Ava had arrived three nights ago and after a near altercation with Adam the previous evening, Eve was keeping Ava occupied elsewhere, mostly. Luckily, Ava didn't have much time for _quality_ television.

"It's not… awful." Adam admitted.

"Not awful! Please, this is classic TV, Adam."

"It's a 40 year old television show!"

"Yes, but the remake sucked and besides, my favourite Christmas movie will be a hundred years old this year, and I still love it. As you're so keen on saying, age is no indication of quality."

"Look, I said it's not bad."

"Hmm," she said. "Well I'm not sure I'd sit through three seasons of something that was only 'not awful' but maybe you just don't have anything better to do with your time."

"It's no wonder zombies accomplish so little, if they spend their time watching television."

"Look, I know you like to blame humans for all the problems in the world but the fact is, humanity has come a long way in a few hundred years."

"They've learned more efficient ways to pollute the planet."

"And we've developed technology to stop or even reverse that damage. I know it's not going that quickly but just look at how humans treat each other?"

"They lie, cheat, steal, kill, how is that a good thing?"

"True, but speaking as a woman, I have a voice, I have a vote, I have the right to work and earn the same as a man and my opinions are as valid as a man's. There was a time when women were considered property. Wives couldn't even prosecute someone for rape because we were our husband's property, so he had to bring charges on our behalf, and it was only a crime because the rapist was deemed to have damaged the husband's property. Things like arranged marriages, child brides, FGM and rape are taken seriously and punished severely all over the globe now. The second biggest employer of women in the Victorian era was prostitution, second only to being a servant. Then there's your technology, which has developed ways to save millions of lives. In your day, people died all over the place of what we view as minor infections, we can cure most types of cancer, heart attacks are all but a thing of the past, we can give amputees new hands and the blind, new eyes.

"Then there's industrial revolution which, forget about the planet, literally ground people under its feet. Children entered coal mines as early as age three to five, and the average life expectancy of a coal miner was fifteen years old. It was the Victorians who began giving workers and the common man rights, who made laws governing work hours, child labour, made education compulsory and brought in laws to say that women could own property. Things have only got better and better with each generation. Your insistence that 'zombies' are the cause of all the world's evil is blinkered in the extreme, if not plane wrong."

"You make an impassioned argument," he said, which wasn't exactly an agreement. "But how do you explain that we still burn fossil fuels?"

"Greed," she answered immediately. "Companies have no interest in us making a onetime purchase of something like solar panels, not when they can make repeat charges for other types of fuel, like coal, gas, petrol and electricity, in perpetuity. Companies are also the ones who do most damage to the environment. The real problem with society is that we give companies too much power."

"A very valid point but who is going to change things if not people?"

"What have you done to improve things?" she asked, but her phone alarm beeped before she could answer. "Saved by the bell!"

She gave him a cheeky grin as she got off the sofa.

"And don't start the next season until I get back," she warned.

Adam smiled and shook his head as she left the room. He would mull her points over when he had a chance.

He turned his attention back to the television. The show was quiet engaging, or rather, as engaging as a fantasy show set in a fiction world called Westeros could be. Which was far more interesting that he would have thought.

They had just finished season three and he was keen to start the next one so while she was gone, he navigated the menu and queued up the next episode.

Lilith reappeared a few minutes later, carrying a plate of homemade pizza in one hand and a glass in the other.

"Yeah," she smiled when she saw that he was ready to start the new series. "You aren't enjoying this at all."

She sat down and handed him the shot glass. He looked oddly at it but didn't take it.

"Come on, I feel weird eating alone." She held the glass closer to him.

"I don't-"

"I do. Just sip it, all right, don't make a big deal out of this."

He took the glass and sipped the contents.

"I should be able to donate more tomorrow," she offered.

"No, it's too soon, you need longer to recover."

"Well, you guys have to eat."

"But not at your expense."

"And I'd would worry if you left to get more the moment."

"And I'll worry if you donate more."

"All right, fine, but I'm going with you and we leave the second the sun goes down."

"Why?"

"Because I have the gun with wooden bullets, and any vampires wanting to attack us are unlikely to do so immediately after dusk, unless they've been sleeping in my flower beds."

"Fine, but you aren't coming."

"I am _so_ coming, I'm sick of being cooped up in here."

"Me too!" Ava sailed into the room and jumped onto the opposite couch. "I want to go out!"

"Did you forget that Elric is hunting you?" Adam asked.

"He won't hurt me as long as Eve is with me."

"He won't hurt any of us as long as we stay here," Adam pointed out.

"But you're going out! Take me with you!"

" _You_ are the reason we have to hide in the first place! If you would just show a little common sense and stand on your own two feel for once, instead of always looking for someone else to take care of you and clean up your messes, we wouldn't be in this situation!"

"I only want to go with you," Ava pouted.

"No. That is my final word."

Ava noticed the glass in his hand. "How come you get seconds and I don't?" she demanded. "I'm starving hungry."

"Because you're greedy," Adam answered. "Eve and I drink less than half a pint each per day, if we can. If you had any kind of willpower, you'd soon get used to it."

"I have willpower!"

Adam took a deep, supposedly calming breath, and rolled his eyes.

"I want more! It's not fair!"

"You can have more before bed," he reminded her.

"I want more now!" She continued to pout like a child.

"Don't test me, Ava, you've put two people I love in grave danger and I am a heartbeat away from ending your life."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Try me; I dare you."

Ava seemed to realise that she had pushed him too far and her pout faded. "You're no fun."

"And you're _too much_ trouble," Adam countered. "Now bugger off, before I forget why I haven't killed you already."

Ava left and despite her advanced age, it wouldn't be out of place to say that she was sulking like a child.

Saying nothing, Lilith picked up the remote and pressed play.

Once her pizza was finished, she slid along the sofa (the cushion with the blood stain had been turned over).

Adam was sitting in the corner so he faced the TV, and Lilith snuggled in, slipping an arm behind his back and resting her head on his chest. It wasn't the best position to watch television in but she had seen this show at least three times already.

Adam's hand began to stroke her hair, running stands of her auburn locks through his fingers and she sighed in contentment.

She wasn't going to mention the 'two people I love' comment, but as well as comforting him after his confrontation, she hoped to show him that she cared deeply too.

* * *

"Time to rise and shine," Lilith said, waltzing into their room with a glass of blood. Rousing Adam during daylight hours was hard, so she thought she'd bring something to tempt him to wakefulness.

"Go away."

Lilith sat on the side of the bed and put the glass of blood on the bedside table, then she dipped the tip of her finger in and smeared it on Adam's lips.

He pushed her hand away so this time, she put her middle finger in up to the first knuckle, then held the digit over his lips until a drop of blood fell onto them. He licked them.

"Umm," he groaned, which made her grin.

Not long ago, the idea of Eve drinking her blood was still odd to Lilith. She accepted it and tried to be cool about it, but it felt weird. To be playing games with her own blood was not something she would ever have contemplated, and yet here she was.

She coated his lips in blood again, so she wouldn't have too much left on her finger to wipe off, and he captured her finger between his teeth and when he began to suck on it, she gasped.

Never in her life had she been on the receiving end of such an erotic feeling. The sucking itself probably wasn't the reason for her sudden lust, she'd sucked her fingers plenty of times over the years, such as when she got a paper cut. No, this feeling was because it was Adam doing the sucking.

She tried to pull her finger away but the grip of his teeth became a little firmer and his eyes popped open, as one of his hands rose to take hold of hers.

With one final, languorous pull, he let her digit go.

His eyes seemed to be smouldering with the same lust that she felt but even if she was ready to start something with him, they didn't have time tonight.

"Well, that's quite a way to wake up," he said. "Thank you." He kept her hand in his, tracing patterns over the back with his thumb.

She gave him a shy smile, unable to find her voice, and handed him the glass.

He raised a silent toast and sipped the blood.

"Is it dark out?" he asked, in between tastes.

"Almost. We need to get an early start though."

"So we do." He nodded.

"You can down it quickly," Lilith told him.

"I thought the euphoria we felt make you uncomfortable?"

"It did. It doesn't anymore."

"All right then, bottoms up." He downed the contents in one, closing his eyes as the ecstasy washed over him.

His mouth was stained red and she wondered what he would taste like. Without conscious thought, she leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his lips.

Adam responded immediately, his arm winding around her waist as he deepened the kiss. She forgot to think about the taste of blood.

Finally Adam ended the kiss but he didn't open his eyes.

"If you don't get off this bed right now, I won't be responsible for my actions," he said, his voice deep with desire.

"You still have an arm around my waist."

"Mmm, so I do. Looks like I'll just have to ravish you."

"Don't you dare," she said, not that she believed for a second that he would do anything without consent but if it wasn't for their prior engagement, she wasn't sure she could have resisted for long.

He stole another quick kiss, able to find her lips without opening his eyes, then he released her.

"This being responsible business is shit," he proclaimed.

Lilith laughed. "Yeah, it sucks."

Finally Adam opened his eyes and with vampire speed, dressed.

"Ready?"

Actually, she was still rather shell shocked from their kiss but yes, they needed to go.

She had regained most of her coherence by the time they made it to the garage and she drove. As the garage door rolled up, they could see that it was still dusk. Adam wasn't in any danger from the sun at this time of the day but he had to pull his collar up and avert his face from the halogen lamp at the front of the house, which was soon activated as the car exited.

"Western General?" she asked, referring to the biggest hospital in the city.

"No, King's Buildings. I found a researcher who lives near there. He's maxed out credit cards, has defaulted on his mortgage, accrued sizeable gambling debts, has two ex-wives and is two years behind on his child support. I contacted him anonymously and offered to transfer funds to his casino account, in return for clean blood; he thinks I'm studying nanotechnology, with a view to introducing nanites into the blood stream eventually."

"Why does he think you're buying blood so covertly?"

"Staying under the radar of my competition. Technology and pharmaceuticals are both exceptionally cut throat industries"

"Will he have it on him at home?"

"I told him how to store it and to keep it at close for a few days, he lives alone at the moment, so that isn't an issue. I've already sent the money, so he has no excuse not to hold up his end of the bargain."

"And if he doesn't?"

"He'll learn that the tactics of his casino heavies are nothing compared to me. Don't worry, I won't seriously harm him, he's no use to me if he can't work."

"Well… let's hope it doesn't come to that."

"Agreed."

They drove past the address and parked a short way down the road. Adam opened a netbook type computer and plugged in some weird attachment to the port.

"What is that?"

"It searches for wireless signals, I'm checking to see if there is any kind of surveillance in the area."

Finally he put the netbook and gadget away. He pulled a black bandana from his pocket and tied it over his hair and forehead, then zipped up his leather jacket and got a leather messenger bag from the back seat.

"Stay here," he ordered.

Lilith got the gun out of her pocket and after screwing a small silencer onto the barrel, held it down by her thigh, to which Adam nodded his approval.

She waited on tenterhooks as he walked to the house and she didn't relax until he got back in the car.

"Did you get it?" she asked.

"No problems." He put the messenger bag, now presumably filled with blood, between his feet. "He offered as much as I want, any time I want, so this should be a long and fruitful relationship."

Lilith started the car and drove away.

"How much did he give you?"

"Enough for two weeks, without Ava. Hopefully over a week with her but she's so unpredictable."

"Do you fancy getting a coffee or something while we're out?" she asked.

"I don't drink coffee."

"Fine, then sit there and nurse a cup while I devour some organic tea and chocolate cake."

He smiled. "Well, we don't know when we might get another chance, so why not."

"Great!"

She drove to a bar in Morningside and parked near a fair trade café she liked. Adam pushed the blood under his seat before they got out but as Lilith went to lock the car, they could hear tapping and shared a confused look.

"The engine?" Lilith said.

"It's coming from the boot," he said, heading to the rear of the car. As soon as he opened it, Ava sat up.

"Oh, thank God, it was so cramped in there! Where are we?" she asked, as she climbed out.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Adam demanded, grabbing her arm.

"I wanted to go out, I told you I did but you were mean and wouldn't let me, so I came anyway."

"Lilith, give me the gun."

She approached them but didn't take the gun out of her pocket. She was worried about what Eve would say, but she was also aware that they were in public.

"Not here," she hissed. There weren't many people around, but there were enough.

Adam looked around and realised what she meant. He slammed the trunk closed then dragged Ava around to the side of the car. Opening the rear door, he tried to push Ava inside but she struggled.

"Hey, let me go, get off me!"

"Get in," he demanded.

"No!"

Adam glared at her for a moment, then unexpectedly released her and slammed the door. "Fine. Lilith, get in the car."

She got into the driver's seat and Adam climbed into the passenger side.

"Hey, wait!" Ava cried, practically launching herself into the back seat.

"Get out." Adam ordered.

"No."

Lilith handed him the gun, which he pointed between their seats, aiming for Ava's heart.

"Ava, this is your last chance, get out or I will put a wooden bullet through your heart. Your choice."

The silencer was still on the gun, so Adam fired a shot into the seat beside her.

"Hey!" she cried rubbing her arm.

"Last chance."

"Where am I supposed to go?" she demanded.

"I don't give a fuck."

"What am I supposed to eat?"

Adam got the bag out from under his seat and took three flasks out, then handed the bag to Ava. "That should keep you going for a week. More if you're careful."

"A week? Where am I supposed to get more from?"

"That's up to you because if I ever see you again, I _will_ kill you. Now get out."

"Fine. Fucking, patronising loser! Fuck off, see if I care!"

As soon as Ava's door was closed, Lilith dove off.

"Eve is going to be upset," Lilith noted.

"She is, but she'll understand."

"Will she?"

"Ava is a loose cannon, we can't afford that right now."

"And if they kill her?"

"She brought it upon herself with her own actions."

Adam was balancing the blood flasks on his lap.

"There's a canvas bag in the glove compartment," Lilith told him.

He got it out and put the flasks in.

Back at the house, Lilith drove straight into the garage rather than reversing in, so Adam wasn't in the halogen light for too long. They waited until the electronic door had lowered, then went into the main house, resetting the house alarm from the keypad in the entrance hall.

"Where's Ava?" Eve demanded, rushing into the hallway.

"She stowed away in the trunk," Adam answered. "I left her in the city with some of the blood we just bought."

"Oh, Adam."

"I warned her, Eve, she knew she was on her last chance and she chose to ignore it. We can't risk that sort of recklessness. Not now."

"I've been going out of my mind with worry."

"Why didn't you call us?"

"She broke my phone," Eve admitted. Suddenly her featured crumpled. "What are they going to do to her?" Eve asked.

Adam handed the canvas bag to Lilith and embraced Eve in a tight hug as she began to cry and feeling like a fifth wheel, Lilith made her way into the kitchen.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight**

Adam sat behind the mixing desk as he watched Lilith in the studio, playing her piano. She was playing classical music tonight, mostly mournful tunes. It was nearly 5am, so there was about three hours until sunrise.

Eve had been upset about Ava; no matter how much of a fuck up Ava was, she was Eve's family, but she understood why he had left her and they had talked things out.

He could guess the reason for Lilith's subdued mood as well; humans were often so puritanical about multiple partners and now that Eve wasn't sleeping with Ava at night, Lilith probably thought her burgeoning relationship with Adam was at and end.

It wasn't over but he acknowledged that it probably was delayed.

Adam had been sent down here to bring Lilith upstairs though, Eve wanted them all to be together and although he didn't think Lilith would like that idea, he went through into the studio.

She was playing _Moonlight Sonata_ , one of his favourite piano compositions, so he stood beside the piano but didn't disturb her. She only played the first movement, then she looked up at him.

"How's Eve?"

"Okay," he answered. "She's missing you."

"I'll be up soon," she promised.

Adam didn't press her.

"I almost wish I'd brought Ava back," he admitted.

"Really?"

"In so far as it seems to have upset things, yes. She would have gotten herself killed eventually though, it would have happened a dozen times already if not for Eve."

"But knowing it's inevitable wouldn't make it any easier for Eve."

"True."

They lapsed into silence.

"I just want to finish the last two movements then I'll be up, okay?"

"Can I listen?" he asked.

Lilith nodded and began to play once more. She was part way through the third movement when he heard a terrible scream, despite the soundproofing on the room.

He rushed upstairs and looking out through the front window, he saw Ava on the driveway, burning under the UV light. The halogen flood light wasn't as powerful as sunlight but if she was under it for too long, it could kill her.

"Fuck!"

"I have to get her inside." Eve said.

"I'll go," he said, not because he wanted Ava back, but because he knew Eve would go herself if he didn't. He opened the front door and tried to see the best way to do this. There was no easy way though, no shade to be had.

Luckily, or unluckily, depending on your point of view, Ava was wearing opaque tights, long sleeves and was using the messenger bag he had given her to shield her face, so a lot of her body was at least a little protected.

He pulled his shirt up over his head.

"The fuck do you think you're doing?" Lilith asked, appearing beside him.

"It's Ava."

She was still screaming and someone would call the police soon.

"I'll get her," Lilith insisted and pushed past him.

She wasn't very quick but when exposed to UV light, Adam wouldn't be very fast either, knowing from experience that the pain would rob him of his unnatural speed.

Lilith grabbed both Ava's hands and began to drag her back to the house.

Adam searched for a light switch for the outside light and after a few long minutes hunting, found the right switch to turn it off. Ava's screams dropped a notch in volume.

Lilith almost had Ava to the door and Adam went out to help her the final few feet.

Once inside, both women collapsed to the floor, Ava whimpering and crying.

"We told you about the lights," Eve said, kneeling down beside Ava. "Why don't you ever listen?" She sounded exasperated.

Ava began to heal but it quickly slowed and she would need more blood to heal completely.

Then the burglar alarm went off, Adam had forgotten to disarm it before he opened the door.

Adam ran to the keypad, trying to stop it as quickly as possible; the last thing they needed was the police turning up. Eve came to help.

With everything that had happened, he put the code in incorrectly the first time but was successful on his second attempt and the siren stopped almost immediately. A scream made him turn though, and he saw Ava straddling Lilith, her fangs sunk into her neck.

He realised that he hadn't given Lilith the gun back, so she was completely defenceless. There were traces of the power from Lilith's poison ring on their clothing but it didn't look like Lilith had been able to snort it, as she had hoped, because she hadn't had enough notice of the danger.

Adam grabbed Ava by the scruff of the neck and like a rabid dog, threw her across the hallway. She hit the wall and fell to the ground snarling at him but he paid her no mind. Eve was already at Lilith's side, accessing the damage.

"Do we have any more transfusion packs?" Adam asked.

"Only two, we haven't been out to get any more."

"We need to stop the bleeding." He put one hand under her knees and the other around her shoulders, picking her up and carrying her into the kitchen.

He laid her on the table and applied pressure to the puncture wounds, while Eve ran to get the remaining blood packs.

"Help me," Came Ava's pathetic cry from the hallway.

Lilith seemed aware but she was quickly going into shock. He could hear her heart racing, her breathing was shallow and rapid, her skin was cold and clammy and she seemed lethargic.

Eve returned with everything they had used to bleed her last time, including the heart monitor, oxygen tank and saline solution.

Lilith raised her hand and placed it over his on her neck, offering him a weak smile.

"I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," he assured her.

"Not even dying."

"You aren't dying," he said with as much force as he could, in the hopes that he could convince at least one of them of that.

"It's okay," she said, her words slurring. "Eve?"

Eve was busy inserting a transfusion needle into her arm but she did glance up.

"Thank you for letting me be a part of your family."

"Don't you dare give up!" Adam yelled at her but it was useless. Her hooded eyes closed and even although he pulled them open, she didn't wake. "Find a vein in her foot for the other blood pack," he told Eve. "We need to get as much blood and volume into her as possible."

He wished he had a clue how much blood she had lost. From her symptoms alone, he would say she was in stage four hypovolemic shock, which meant a 40% or greater blood loss.

Although he was hampered by the need to keep pressure on her neck wound, he managed to place the oxygen mask over her nose and mouth and turn it on, using only one hand.

Once Eve had inserted a second needle in her right foot, she took a saline pack and tried to find a vein in her left foot for it.

Adam still daren't move his hand from her neck and there was only one other thing he could think to do.

Moving her oxygen mask under her chin, he pushed her lower jaw down and then bit into his wrist. He pulled his hand back to stretch the skin on his wrist to keep the wound open and prevent it from healing over before he was finished, then he held it over her lips so the blood trickled into her mouth.

"She hasn't agreed to that," Eve said.

"And if she survives, she won't change. This is a precaution, nothing more," he replied.

If only the fiction about vampires was true, like the healing properties of their blood. His blood would heal her, of course, but it would take the three days, the length of the change, to do so, which was far from enough to save her life. If however, she died with his blood in her body, it would heal and preserve her until the change was complete, when it would breathe new life into her.

Of course she hadn't agreed to become a vampire, so she might hate him for what he had done but he was willing to risk that.

When he thought he had given her enough of his blood, he licked the excess from his wrist as he healed and replaced her oxygen mask.

He listened closely and thought that her heartbeat sounded stronger and perhaps a little slower already. He squeezed one of the blood packs to get it into her faster and Eve infused her their final saline pack, then they covered her in warm blankets, to try and counteract the shock.

"We need to close that wound," Eve said, nodding towards his hand on her neck.

"How."

"I'll prepare a needle and keep a finger over one puncture would, while you sew up the other. If you use vampire speed, she might not lose too much more blood."

They had to take the risk, so he nodded his agreement.

She lost a little blood, but only a few drops and when the wounds were sewn shut, he pricked the end of his finger with a fang and rubbed a drop of blood over the stitches. It would help them heal a bit faster, if nothing else.

The blood and saline packs were empty now, so they removed them.

A whimper drew his attention and he turned to see Ava lying on the kitchen floor. She was already healed and probably feigning her pain to garner sympathy.

"Help me," she whimpered.

Adam felt completely drained and didn't have it within him to be angry right now.

"You had blood in that bag," he said, pointing to the messenger bag which was still wrapped around her neck and under an arm.

"I didn't know, I was dying."

"You weren't dying. _She_ saved you, and this is how you repay her?" he said. "If you ever wonder why your life is shit, Ava, remember this night and think about all of the times you've shit on the people who tried to help you."

"I'm sorry."

"I don't give a fuck if you're sorry or not. Your thoughtlessness has gone too far this time; you're dead to me, your actual death is just a technicality."

Ava kept looking to Eve, who for once, didn't even try to step in and defend her.

"Should we move her?" Eve asked, referring to Lilith.

"A table can't be very comfortable," he agreed, "but one of us should stay with her."

"You take her to our room and stay with her, I'll look after Ava."

With the same delicacy he might show a china doll, Adam picked Lilith up and carried her from the room. The bed was unmade, so he didn't have to worry about pulling the covers back before setting her down.

Since her clothes were bloody, he undressed her to her underwear but although one side of her bra was a little stained, he knew she would feel uncomfortable if he removed that too.

If she lived, she would awaken before the healing was finished. If she died, he would have to wait until the transformation was complete. He hoped she lived. It wasn't that he didn't want her to change but he did want that to be her choice, if at all possible.

Once she was settled, he pulled the covers over her climbed into bed beside her. He was unwilling to pull her into his arms and disturb her, so he settled for holding her hand and stroking her hair.

He could hear Eve and Ava arguing downstairs but he did his best to ignore them.

He listened intently to Lilith's heartbeat but it lulled him somewhat and he found himself drifting in and out of sleep, despite the early hour.

Each time he awoke, Lilith looked a little better and he was hopeful that they had saved her in time.

Everything downstairs was quiet but he wasn't about to ask what was going on. When he said Ava was dead to him, he meant it. He couldn't control Eve's reaction but whatever she did, he would no longer ask after Ava, talk to her, help her or have anything else to do with her.

"I can't believe how fucked up everything is," he said to Lilith, running her hair through his fingers. "Believe it or not, incidents involving either murderous ancient vampires, or my bratty sister-in-law are actually very rare, less than once in a human lifetime and neither have occurred at the same time before. Life can be quite boring, actually. Eternity isn't always what it's cracked up to be.

"In fact, I was getting tired," he admitted. "For the last hundred years or so, facing everyday just seems… I don't know. When you've seen as much as I have, what's the point? Been there, done that, got the hand embroidered tapestry to prove it. Eve chases it away for a little while but recently, I've needed her more and more, and that's not fair to her; no one should be responsible for anyone else because you can't control anyone else, only your own actions. It's unfair. Besides, Eve likes different things, keeping her with a recluse like me for too long is cruel.

"She can't get lost in music like I can. Don't get me wrong, she likes it but it doesn't inhabit her soul like it does with me. People are her lifeblood. Meeting them, talking to them, reading about them. Too much of that is my idea of hell."

"How the hell do you two stay together then?"

Her reply surprised him. "Are you all right? Look at me."

"No. I'm tired and I'm not sure how long I'll hbe coherent for, so shut up and answer my question."

Adam smiled, not only because she was going to be okay but because of her sass, even if her slightly slurred words did words ruined the effect somewhat.

"Honestly, I don't know why we love each other, I only know that we do. We shouldn't work, we're polar opposites in many ways. Light and dark, introvert and extravert. Maybe it's because opposites attract, maybe we complement each other, I don't know but honestly, I think our love keeps us together despite out differences, rather than being the reason we're in love. We make it work because it's important to us."

"Mmm. Tell me how you met."

"It was in Cambridge, 1574, and I was a physics professor at the university, although back then, it was called a Chair of Natural Philosophy. I met Eve at a ball."

"Did… did teachers go to balls?"

"That depends. My family was gentry but I was the third son, so I needed a profession and to earn a living. Teaching gave me time for my own studies and with a stipend from my family, I was able to live well. Thanks to my name, I was still invited to society events and Eve was at one, dressed in a golden gown almost as exquisite as she was. Gustav introduced us, and with his blessing, as her perceived husband, we danced. They intended to make me their familiar for a while, so Gustav invited me to their house one evening. Eve tried to seduce me but I refused. She was everything I had ever wanted but as far as I was concerned, she was married."

"How'd she win you around?"

"Persistence. Then when our lips finally met, I felt something. She seemed as shocked by it as I was but by the pull was too strong to resist for long. Less than three months later, they turned me and I became part of their family."

Lilith seemed to have gone back to sleep.

"Are you awake?" He asked softly but got no reply. "Oh well, you need your sleep. I suppose the rest, as they say, is history."

* * *

Lilith drifted in and out of consciousness for the best part of a day and a half but each time she awoke, she felt a little better. Better than she should feel and she put that down to drinking Adam's blood. She hadn't been conscious exactly, but she remembered tasting it. Eve had told her that their blood had healing properties for humans but not miraculous ones.

When she finally awoke properly, Adam was sound asleep, which was hardly surprising considering that it was still light out. She sat up slowly, wary of getting light head and when she felt strong enough, she made her way to the bathroom and ran a warm bath while she cleaned her teeth.

She climbed in and soaked for a while, trying not to think. As she relaxed, events began to slot into place in her mind and suddenly, everything made sense.

Everything was lined up, almost as if events were fated, somehow.

She knew what she had to do, her only problem was in being allowed to do it.

Adam was still asleep when she got out of the bath and wrapped in her robe, she went to her store of virus, refilling her poison ring so she would have easy access, then she made herself a quick meal of scrambled eggs. On her way back upstairs, she peeked her head into Ava's room, pleased to see that the girl was still here.

Then she returned to the bedroom, dropped her robe on the floor and climbed into bed, snuggling up to Adam.

She could tell that it was now dusk outside and she decided to wake Adam up with a kiss. It took a few to rouse him but she could feel when his lips turned up in a smile and she pulled away.

"Good morning."

His arms went around her but his eyes didn't open.

"Please tell me I'm not dreaming."

"You're not dreaming."

His smile got wider. "But if I were dreaming this, that's exactly what dream Lilith would say."

"Really? Well would dream Lilith do this?" she asked, snaking a hand down over his chest, finding the opening in his boxers and grasping his length. "Already hard, I like it."

"Well, I was dreaming of you." Finally he opened his eyes and gave her the sexiest smirk she had ever seen.

"What brought this on?" he asked, one hand roaming up her back, and discovering that she had no bra, while the other slid over her hip, revealing that she wasn't wearing pants.

"I decided that I'm tired of waiting. We don't know what the future might hold, and I don't want to die without having known what it's like to love you."

His beautiful smile faded. "You won't die, I won't let that happen."

"Let's not talk about that, let's just enjoy the moment, please." She began to stroke his shaft. "Kiss me."

That smile returned. "With pleasure."

It was tender and sweet, both of them wringing every ounce of pleasure from the experience as they explored each other.

By the time he entered her, she had already come twice but she was ready for a third but as he thrust inside, she quickly realised that tender and sweet were off the cards. His lips claimed hers in a punishing kiss while her nails raked down his back. She felt whole, complete for the first time in her life, even although she hadn't been aware of feeling incomplete before now.

As her climax approached, she was kissing his neck, sucking and nibbling, then suddenly her third orgasm flooded through her and she was biting down. The action seemed to push him over the edge and she would swear that she was he was using his vampire speed as he came inside her.

They were both panting as they lay there and when Adam climbed off, she settled against him as she recovered.

They didn't speak for a long while but their hands continued to wander, gently caressing and stroking.

Lilith dozed for a while, not quite back to full strength and when she awoke, she felt a little more coherent and propping her head up on her hand, she turned to look at him.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

"Sore, but in the best way."

She grinned and Adam smiled, wide enough that she could see his teeth for a change.

She spotted the smear of blood on his neck.

"Oh god, I did that, didn't I?"

"It's fine," he assured her. "It healed in seconds."

"Well good, but I'm so sorry. I've never done anything like that before."

"I have," he answered, looking smug.

"Well, yeah, but I'm not like you. I mean, not one of you, because there's nothing wrong with the way you are, I just… I don't know what came over me."

"Don't worry about it, I liked it. And for the record, the scratches on my back are also healed."

She looked mortified and Adam chuckled.

"I guess I just bring it out in you," he teased.

"Have you eaten yet?"

"Not yet."

"We should get up. What time is it?"

"8.20."

"Oh my god, we've been up here for hours."

"Well, days, technically."

She swatted his chest playfully.

"But we should get up," he agreed. "You must be starving."

"I had a snack before I awoke you."

"You need to keep your strength up."

He didn't know how right he was.

* * *

"I'm so glad you're feeling better," Eve said as she came downstairs. Her hand came up to cup Lilith cheek. "I was so worried."

"I'm fine." She felt awkward after having slept with Adam.

Eve hugged her and whispered in her ear.

"I know, and I don't mind. One day, when you're comfortable, you can tell me all about it."

She released Lilith and turned away before things could become uncomfortable. Well, more uncomfortable.

"Darling," she said, embracing Adam. "I hope you've taken good care of our Lilith."

"Of course. How have things been with you?"

"Let's talk in the living room," Eve suggested.

"Don't mind me," Lilith said, her head buried in the fridge.

As soon as they left, she found a pen and tore a small scrap of paper from a notebook, scribbling a hasty note, then she got on with preparing herself a meal.

* * *

"How has she been?" Adam asked.

"Difficult. Ava isn't exactly inclined to see reason, but she has been behaving herself."

"How?"

"She hasn't been nagging for more food or to go out. She says she's sorry as well and has been asking to see Lilith."

"No."

"They have to meet sometime, Adam, and I'd rather they did so with us present."

"Why is she even still here?" he demanded.

"She's family."

"She gave up that right when she fed on Lilith."

"I know, and as soon as this thing with Elric is sorted, I'll send her away, forever. I promise."

"You better," Adam warned.

"I will. Now please, can we be friends again."

Adam's look asked if she was serious.

"I hate it when we fight," Eve explained.

"Eve, we will never not be friends, and a lot more besides." He opened his arms and she stepped into his embrace.

"I'm sorry about Ava."

"I know," he told her. "Now we just need to deal with Elric and get her out of our lives, permanently."

"Agreed. So, shall we get the meeting between Lilith and Ava out of the way?"

"We might as well."

* * *

Lilith got her chance sooner than she expected, when Ava appeared in the kitchen doorway, flanked by Eve and Adam.

She left her steak and approached them with caution, slipping the note out from under her ring as she did.

"Ava has something she'd like to say," Eve promoted.

The girl looked chastened and it took her a few moments to meet Lilith's eyes.

"I'm sorry I bit you. I didn't mean to."

Lilith had a lot that she wanted to say and were she strong enough, she might even be tempted to land a punch or two, but there was more at stake here than her anger.

"No hard feelings." She held her right hand out and after a beat, Ava took it.

Ava's eyes widened fractionally when she felt the paper but thankfully, he back was to Eve and Adam. After a moment she withdrew her hand, the note clasped in her fist.

"Thank you."

Lilith nodded. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a meal to prepare."

She turned away.

The note told Ava to find a way to visit her, alone, in her studio later tonight, or else Lilith would tell Adam the truth about Elric.

Now she just had to pray that Ava did as the note said.


	9. Chapter Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't leave you guys hanging like that. Mind you, I'm not so sure you'll love me by the end of this chapter either!

**Chapter Nine**

"Okay, I'm here, what's so important?" Ava asked petulantly as she stormed into the studio.

Lilith stopped playing the piano and held a finger up to silence Ava. She turned a previous recording on to help hide their meeting. She knew Adam could hear when she was playing and if she stopped for any length of time, she worried that he'd come looking for her.

"How long do we have?" Lilith asked.

"I don't know, Eve's reading and she thinks I'm watching reruns of I Love Lucy, Adam's in the spare room, doing whatever he usually does in there."

"Then I'll make this quick. I know you're helping Elric and I know Elric's people were watching us before you arrived."

"That's not true-"

"Yes it is," held one hand up to stop her and raised the other, which had the gun. "I could feel them watching me. He's also why you came back here, despite knowing that Adam was ready to kill you and that the house is protected by UV lights; because they sent you back. The lights are probably also why Elric hasn't attacked already, because you found a way to tell him that we'd protected the house. You _will_ tell me where he is, or I'll shoot you and tell Eve everything."

"She won't believe you."

"Maybe not, but you'll still be dead." She let that sink in for a moment. "Now I don't think for a second that you really want to harm Eve, so helping me actually helps us both."

"How do you work that out?"

"Because Elric wants to hurt Eve. You tell me where he is, and I'll go willingly to him and shoot him with this." She indicated the gun.

"You won't get close enough," Ava scoffed.

"Maybe, maybe not. That's a risk I'm willing to take to protect Eve and Adam. The people who've been watching me must know how special I am to them, plus if I don't manage to kill him, they can feed from me for a while. Elric will love it."

"How do I know you aren't going to tell Eve?"

"You don't, but common sense should tell you that if that was my plan, I'd have told her what I've figured out already. If you're really lucky, they won't even figure out your involvement"

Ava was silent for a few moments as she considered this.

"Adam won't let you go out alone."

"I intend to leave during the day, before he wakes up. I'll leave just in time to get to Elric for nightfall."

"They'll worry."

"They will, but they'll think I just had to run an errand or something. By the time they know something is wrong, I'm sure Elric will have contacted them to gloat anyway."

Ava was silent for a few more moments.

"And you promise not to tell Adam and Eve about me?"

"I promise."

"He's staying at 64 South Groathill Road, it's a big house in the middle of a council estate, it used to be the farmhouse, until they sold the land to developers."

Lilith wondered just how well she knew Elric's people, she had expected a general area, not an exact street address.

"When Adam left you in town, you went to Elric, didn't you? He did send you back to us, didn't he?"

Ava nodded. "I had no choice."

"Did you tell him I was Eve's familiar?"

After a brief hesitation, Ava nodded.

"Did you tell him how good my blood tasted?" Both Eve and Adam had told her how nice her blood tasted, thanks to her organic diet not containing any artificial chemicals, such as pesticides and preservatives.

"How would I know that?" Ava demanded. "I hadn't bitten you before the other night."

"Because you aren't an idiot, even if you act like one. You must have figured out that it was my blood you'd been fed since you got here so tell me, did you tell him how nice my blood tastes?" she spoke slowly, as if Ava was mentally impaired.

"I didn't mean to."

"You don't mean a lot of things, but somehow they happen anyway.

Ava was silent.

"Have you told me the absolute truth?"

"I have, I swear."

Lilith gestured for her to leave, and Ava scarpered from the room. Lilith left the music playing as she took out a notepad and began writing.

* * *

Lilith and Adam made love again before they went to sleep, and given her plans for later that day, it was all the more poignant.

She curled up on Adam's chest once they were finished and thankfully, he was sound asleep before her tears began to fall.

"I'm so sorry, Adam. Please forgive me."

* * *

The house was beautiful, a Queen Anne style mansion and the fading amber sunlight lent it a romantic air.

It looked well-kept and Lilith wondered if anyone had lived here before Elric and his minions moved in and if so, what had happened to them? She supposed she could ask soon.

She knew that vampires lived here now, because all the windows were covered.

Suddenly she wished that she hadn't sent the cab away, because she wasn't feeling anywhere near as brave as heroes should and truth be told, she was sorely tempted to walk back down the driveway and run.

She'd left her car at home for fear that Adam or Eve would find a way to trace it, perhaps report it stolen and wait for the police to call and report that they'd found it. Even if she left it some distance away, they might be able to track her, through scent or knowing Adam, sheer determination.

It was probably a good thing she hadn't brought her car because if she had, she would probably be driving home right now.

Instead she finally left the cover of the trees and began walking the final fifty or so feet to the house, wondering if Ava had already told Elric that she was coming. It didn't matter, either way.

She rang the bell, marvelling at the absurdity of observing such social graces at a time like this.

As she wanted for someone to answer, she wondered if Eve and Adam were awake yet, and how long it would take them to find her letter.

* * *

"Where's Lilith?" Adam demanded, rushing into Eve and Ava's bedroom.

"Isn't she with you?" Eve asked, sitting up.

"She was gone when I woke up." He rushed from the room and alarmed by his tone, Eve followed him to the kitchen, where she found him staring at the refrigerator magnets.

"She didn't leave a note," he said. "There's no regular activity she does today so if she had gone out, she's have left a note on here."

"Have you checked her studio? Perhaps she's working."

"I looked. She isn't there."

"What about the car?"

He looked hopeful. "I put a GPS on her car to test their effectiveness." He rushed to the garage, but her car was still there. "Damn it!"

"Then we'll search the house," Eve said. "Maybe she left a clue in her room or something."

He couldn't see any better options, so he agreed.

"She's probably fine," Eve tried to calm him, "She just needed some air or time to herself."

"I hope you're right."

Truthfully, Eve felt as concerned as he looked and she had a very bad feeling that the awful event she had been anticipating, was finally here.

* * *

"This is delightful!" Elric grinned. He sat on the only chair in what was probably a dining room, as if he were a king sitting on a throne.

Lilith didn't think that he looked nearly as menacing as he should. He appeared to be a kindly, slightly overweight grandfather, the type who might invite her onto his knee and offer her a Werther's Original. His left hand appeared to be encased in a leather glove but it was held in an unnatural and unchanging position, rather like a Ken doll, so she knew it was a prosthetic, to replace the hand that Adam had taken during their last meeting.

"You know, I lost a few followers in transit but it's getting harder and harder to acquire blood, so I thought that it might take me some time before I could replenish my followers and kidnap you from your owners, but here you are, practically gift wrapped."

The group of vampires surrounding her however, they scared her, with their mindless obedience and hungry expressions. There were five followers, two women, three men and all but one were painfully thin. Clearly there was a hierarchy, and the healthy weight one was top of the minion chain.

"Oh yes, you were always my target," he smiled. "My friends have been watching you for a while now, so I know exactly how _special_ you are to your owners."

Lilith didn't speak, hoping to learn as much as she could from his pontificating.

"So which is it, are you incredibly brave, or incredibly stupid?"

"Neither," she replied. "If the people following me know how important I am to Adam and Eve, they should know that I'm doing this because I love them."

"Even although your death will gravely pain her?"

"Better that she grieves for me, than I grieve for her."

Elric looked to the puncture wounds on her neck and the cold smile he gave her sent a chill down her spine. "I understand that Eve feeds from you, does she not?"

"She does."

"Then I take it that you are not contaminated?"

"Eve, Adam and Ava would all be dead if I was."

"Then perhaps I won't kill you, perhaps I will keep you around as my slave, send your lovers pictures of you from time to time, just to be sure that they know _how much_ you are suffering."

"Am I supposed to react to that?"

"Only if you feel like it."

"I can't change what you're going to do, so what's the point in arguing."

"You signed up for death though, and you may just get a very long life instead, or at least, it will feel like an eternity. By the time I'm done with you, you will beg me to kill you."

"Quite possibly," she nodded, as if they were discussing nothing more important than the weather. She didn't know where this recklessness was coming from, she should be pleading for her life, not being defiant.

It wasn't in her nature to roll over and give in though and even if it resulted in more pain, she was damned if she'd be cowed by this man.

She scratched the puncture marks on her neck, hoping to tempt him.

"Actually, I'm feeling rather hungry now, perhaps I will have a small taste."

"That doesn't scare me, you know, I've been fed from before, often in fact."

"Perhaps." He favoured her with another ice cold smile. "But they were probably trying not to hurt you; I however, have no such qualms."

She stared him down, hoping to goad him into drinking deeply since the more blood he took, the faster he would die.

"Bring her to me!"

Two goons stepped forward and grabbed her, dragging her over to him.

Elric took a hold of her waist with his left arm and forced her to sit on his lap, with her back to his chest. Being unable to see him did finally frighten her and she trembled as she wondered what he had planned. He seemed content to wait, probably enjoying her fear.

Finally while his left arm held her in place, his right hand began to explore her shape, running over her curves and making Lilith feel queasy. She knew this might happen though and she was prepared to endure it. Eve had saved her from one rape, so it seemed oddly fitting to come full circle and endure another, in order to save Eve.

"I think I'll enjoy sampling _all_ your charms, Lilith, but now it's time for you to serve your primary purpose and feed me."

He grabbed a handful of her hair and viciously yanked her head to one side, and she screamed as his fangs ran over her neck.

"Foolish girl," he laughed. "It looks good on television and movies but if I bite your neck, you'll probably bleed to death." He took her right hand and bent her arm up and over her shoulder. "It's much easier to stop the bleeding from the wrist."

He bit down and she swallowed down her scream. He drank enough to make her light headed, which she estimated to be about three pints. More than he should if he wanted to keep her alive but without the rituals that Eve and Adam observed, it must be hard to tell how much they were drinking. The more the better, as far as she was concerned.

It probably didn't speak well of her lifestyle, that she could now judge how much blood she'd lost by how weak she felt.

"Mmm, Ava was right, you are delectable." He licked her wrist lasciviously as he took a few more mouthfuls, making her cringe. "You had better get used to it," he told her, noticing her disgust.

His followers seemed underfed and frail and without their leader to direct them, she was betting that they wouldn't put any real kind of fight, especially given their slightly emaciated state. If Elric was any kind of cult leader, he also wouldn't have given his followers the skills to fight, lest they turn those skills on him, and Lilith would wager that Adam and Eve could subdue these vampires with relative ease.

"Bring me a telephone!"

His minions ran around, scrambling to be the one to present him with a phone.

"Better make sure it can't be traced," Lilith slurred her words but she knew how tech savvy Adam was, and she couldn't risk him finding her before the Hep T virus had at least weakened Elric.

He hesitated.

It would be fairly easy to make a phone untraceable, simply shield the number and disable the GPS chip, but Adam had said Elric was technically illiterate, and Lilith was banking on his fear being greater than his knowledge.

"Do you think your owners scare me, child?"

"No, but I think you want to torment them. Having them find you would put an end to that; they die, you die, either way, the game is over."

Elric threw her from his lap. "Put her with the others."

"Send a letter... or pic-sure," she managed to say.

"Better yet, maybe I'll send them your hand. Adam did tell you how he took mine, did he not?"

If he was looking for a reaction, he was out of luck since she was having trouble just keeping her eyes open. As she was hoisted over a shoulder like a sack of potatoes, she passed out completely.

* * *

Eve found Adam in the kitchen, reading a letter and looking rather ashen.

"What is it? What's wrong?" she asked.

"I found this in the fridge," he said. "She hid it in the salad box, along with this." He held the gun up.

"What does it say?"

"She's gone, handed herself to Elric." His voice was flat and emotionless as he passed the letter over.

Eve ready it quickly.

' _By now you've probably realised that I've gone and you'll be hopping mad at me, but I want you to try understand why I'm doing this._

_I found out where Elric is and I'm giving myself to him. Before I left, I snorted some Hep T virus and one way or the other, Elric will feed from me before I fight the infection off and he'll be dead two days after he does, at most. I'll do whatever is necessary to get him to feed from me and finally end this feud._

_I've taken one of Adam's GPS trackers with me and assuming I'm still alive when he dies, I'll activate it._

_I'm probably wasting my time saying this, but please don't try to find me before then. I'm doing this to spare you both, and if my life is the price of your continued happiness, it's a price that I'm more than willing to pay._

_You both have given me two things I never really experienced before, family, and unconditional love. Those things are priceless to me and I have loved every second that I have known you. Okay, perhaps not every second, but you are both the best things that ever happened to me._

_Whatever happens, please don't hate me. Maybe this is a stupid thing to do but just know, I did it for the right reasons and if I don't make it, forget about me. Move on, live your lives, write beautiful music and read wonderful books and visit exotic places but most of all, don't ever stop loving each other. Yours is the kind of love people write epic poetry about._

_And know that whatever the future holds, I will never stop loving you._

_Lilith x'_

Eve was pulled from her thoughts by a bang, and she looked up to see that Adam had put his fist though the wall.

"How could she do this?" Adam demanded, "Who the fuck does she think she is, to just go gallivanting off, handing herself over to the enemy like... like some kind of sacrificial lamb?"

"Darling-" She tried to reason with him, but he cut her off.

"No! No, Eve, fuck her! If she wants to die, fucking let her!"

"Darling, calm down, you're just angry, that's all, you don't mean that."

"Don't I? Fuck!"

Eve went to him and put her hand on his arm. "Darling, calm down. We need cool heads if we're to have any hope of finding her."

"She doesn't want to be found."

"Maybe not, but the people we love don't always do what's best for them. You know what Elric is like, he won't just kill her or feed from her, he'll have his fun first."

"You mean…?"

"That's exactly what I mean."

Adam put his fist through another wall.

"Breaking her house isn't going to help us find her, we need to think logically and rationally about this."

"You're right," he said with a heavy sigh. He withdrew his hand from the wall and watched as his torn skin healed over. Her skin wouldn't heal that easily.

"Her mobile!" Eve cried. "It wasn't in her handbag when I looked so if she took it with her, we can track it."

She fetched her phone and dialled Lilith cell. They heard it ringing and followed the sound to the refrigerator. She had placed it in the butter dish.

"Damn it!" Eve said as Adam came up behind her.

"What's the last number dialled?" Adam asked.

Eve checked. "I don't recognise it, but she called less than four hours ago." Eve pressed redial.

_"City Cabs, what's your address?"_

Eve gave it.

_"And when would you like your cab?"_

"Actually, you collected someone from here earlier, can you tell me where she was dropped off?

_"I'm sorry, Ma'am, that information is confidential."_

"Okay. Can we order a cab to go to the same place?"

_"I'm sorry, Ma'am, but no."_

"What if I told you, it's a matter of life and death?"

_"My hands are tied. Without a court order, we can't give that information out."_

"All right, thank you."

_"Would you still like a cab?"_

"No, thank you." She hung up.

Adam was already running up stairs and Eve followed, guessing that he was going to try and hack into the company computers.

* * *

Lilith awoke to find a strange woman kneeling beside her.

"It's okay, hunny, you're okay now." The woman smoothed her brow. "You're tired but it will wear off."

"Water."

The woman left her for a moment and returned with a bottle of water.

"Here, sip it slowly." She said, helping Lilith hold her head up.

She drank most of the bottle and lay back.

"It's okay, you're okay now."

"Okay?" Lilith asked, sitting up. "I'm a blood slave, this will never be okay."

"A what?"

Lilith could see the bandages on her companion's wrists, so she knew she was a human who had been kept for feeding.

"They're keeping us alive to feed on us," Lilith explained. "It's like sex trafficking but for vampires; hence blood slave, like sex slave."

"I never thought about terminology," the woman admitted.

Too weak to sit upright for long, Lilith scooted back on her bottom until her back was against the wall, and looked around. She seemed to be in a bedroom but all the furnishings had been moved out. The only creature comforts were the carpet and some quilts and blankets. The windows had been boarded over. In one corner sat boxes of energy bars and bottles of water.

A man lay curled in the foetal position in one corner, huddled under a blanket, seemingly asleep, his wrists were also bandaged. They both looked to be middle aged; she had ash blonde, greying hair, and he had brown hair and a few days stubble growth. Both were filthy.

"How long have you been here?" Lilith asked.

"Since they took the house over," the woman answered. "I think that was two weeks ago, maybe a little more. We're in and out of consciousness so it's hard to tell, sometimes."

"They've been here two weeks?"

"Some have. The rest got only here a few days ago."

She nodded. "This is your home?"

The woman nodded and began silently weeping, brushing her tears away.

Lilith didn't know what to say. "Did you do this?" she pointed to the dressing on her wrist.

The woman nodded. "They left bandages but we have to do it ourselves."

"Thank you for taking care of me."

"You're welcome, hunny." She smiled a little and her tears dried. "Do you know what they are? The people who have us? You said they were…"

It was a little late to be thinking up cover stories, these people already knew what they were facing, they just needed confirmation to stay sane.

"They're vampires."

She nodded. "I wondered but… well, you just think they're fantasy, right."

Lilith didn't know how to answer that.

"I thought they needed an invitation to enter a home? These two just waltzed right in."

"That's a myth," Lilith explained. "So is garlic."

"How do you know so much?"

"I, uh, I live with two."

"So you've been a… a blood slave for a while?"

"No, they were my friends. These guys, Elric's men, they're not the norm. Most vampires are pretty normal people."

The woman scoffed.

"I know, these guys are monsters, or that seem that way, but Elric is a cult leader, he's warped their minds and beliefs."

"Maybe the ones who kept you did that to you."

"They didn't. Men like sex, but only very few kidnap or use sex slaves. Vampires are the same, there's only a few bad apples." She scooted over to the woman. "I came here of my own free will, gave myself to these people to save my friends and when the time is right, they'll come and save us."

"You truly believe that?"

"I do."

"How will your friends know when to come?"

"I can't tell you that yet, but this won't last much longer, I promise."

"And what happens when they come?"

"What do you mean?"

"What happens to us? They won't just let us go, not now that we know vampires exist."

"They let me go," Lilith assured her. "Fifteen years ago, Eve saved my life and I discovered what she was. We've been friends ever since."

"Eve is?"

"Eve is my family."

"You said you live with two."

"The other one is a new friend. His name is Adam, and he's my… _yuanfen_."

"What is that?"

"It's a Japanese word, it means soulmate."

"These things don't love."

"You'll see," Lilith assured her. "You'll be fine, I promise."

"Why do you say we'll be fine? What about you?"

"Adam and Eve love me, but Eve escaped Elric and Adam took his hand when trying to kill him, that's why Elric is keeping me alive, to torture them. That's also why he'll kill me, to hurt them." Tears slipped from her eyes. "And I'm okay with that, as long as I can take Elric out with me. Please, when Eve and Adam come, trust them, they won't hurt you, I swear. I just… If…" She swallowed down her tears. "If I don't make it, please tell them that I love them. I left a note but… Please tell them." She took the other woman's hands and looked into her eyes. "Please."

"I- I will," she assured Lilith.

"Thank you. Thank you so much."

The woman nodded.

"What's your name?"

"Annie. Annie Ward. That's my husband, Frank."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Annie."

The door opened and two of Elric's minions came in.

"Your turn," the female vampire said to Annie and keeping her eyes averted, as if she was ashamed, she helped Annie to her feet.

The other one was the larger goon, the Goon Leader, as she had come to think of him.

"Take her," he ordered the female, while staring at Lilith, like she was a prime rib. The other vampire hesitated for a moment, then led Annie out of the room.

"If you take much more, I'll die," Lilith said once the door closed, guessing what Goon Leader had in mind.

"I know, I just want a taste, to see what the big deal is."

Lilith looked to the windows and could see faint light coming through the gaps between the planks. She had been hoping Elric would feed from her again but taking this arsehole out too wouldn't be too bad, he was the only real threat to Adam and Eve. She just prayed that he didn't take too much.

Her prayer wasn't answered.


	10. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten**

Once Goon Leader left, Lilith was barely clinging to consciousness but she managed to slip her shoe off and palmed the GPS chip tracker. She finished the rest of her water, hoping to increase her fluids and stay awake a little longer.

Annie came back soon and quickly realised that Lilith was in trouble. She looked far healthier than Lilith did.

"Oh, hunny," she said, sitting down beside her.

"Annie… take this." She was panting as she handed the small tracker to her. "I don't think… I'm going to... last much longer… cells aren't getting... enough oxygen… when twilight comes… flip that tiny red switch… please. It's your only chance… to get out of here."

"Lilith-"

"No, do it, please."

"Why not press it now?"

"They can't come… 'til after dark… The others will sleep 'til then anyway… you'll be safe... Please, wait... 'til the sun is down… Please."

"I'll do it, but you aren't going to die."

"It's okay, Annie… I was ready for this... It's okay."

As her eyes closed, she couldn't stop tears from leaking out and trailing into her temples.

"Tell 'em I'm sorry... I'm so so sorry."

* * *

"How much longer?" Eve asked, pacing behind Adam as he worked.

"Hard to say. I'm good with computers but I'm not a hacker, Eve."

"It's been hours already. She could be-"

"Don't say it!"

"But it's true."

"I know!" Realising that he was getting angry again, he took a deep breath. "I know, but I need a clear head to get through this protection. We're not talking a first gen AltaVista Firewall here, we're talking quantum cryptography."

"I know, I know, I just…"

"Why don't you see how Ava's doing?"

Eve frowned. "Ava?"

"She's probably raiding our blood supply as we speak."

"It's daytime."

"When has that ever stopped her?"

"I haven't seen her since we discovered Lilith was missing."

Her worried tone made Adam turn to look at her. "Eve?"

"It's not like her."

"She doesn't care for Lilith, why _would_ she help us?"

"She wouldn't, but she wouldn't miss the drama either."

"You think she…?"

"God, I hope not."

They found Ava in the living room, lying prone on the sofa and sleeping, while the TV blared in the background.

"Ava? Ava wake up!"

"Hey." The vampire wiped her eyes and smiled at Eve. "Did you find your friend?"

"You know we didn't," Eve said. "Now you're going to tell us everything you know, or I will have Adam throw you outside right now."

Ava looked to the windows. "But it's still light out!" Her smile vanished.

"I know."

"I didn't do anything!" Ava sat up, suddenly concerned. "What did she tell you?"

Any doubts Eve might have had over Ava's guilt vanished at that moment. "You either did something or you know something, I don't care which but I mean it, tell us everything now, or face the consequences."

"I had to, I had no choice. They kept me prisoner and starved me."

"You should have told us, we would have kept you safe."

Adam's expression turned murderous, while Eve took a deep breath and prepared for a lengthy questioning process. She knew that Anger would only make Ava defensive and uncooperative so although she had never been so angry at her sister, she tried her hardest to remain calm.

"They said they'd kill me if I didn't help them," Ava pleaded.

"So you led them to Eve instead?" Adam demanded. "You'd rather they killed her?"

"I didn't lead them here, they knew where you were. They brought _me_ here."

"What do you mean," Eve interrupted as calmly as she could. "What do they want you to do?"

"I…"

Adam's phone beeped and he took it out of his back pocket.

"It's Lilith, she's activated a GPS tracker."

"So Elric is dead?" Eve asked, slipping an arm behind his back as she looked at the screen.

"Doubtful," Adam said, calculating the time as he waited for the GPS signal to appear on the on-screen map. "It's been less than a day and he's ancient, so it's probably weakened him but it's too soon to have killed him. She must be in trouble."

Eve looked to the windows, where weak sunlight still shone through the gaps in the curtains.

"What are we going to do?" they asked in unison.

* * *

Annie had almost expected an immediate reaction once she flipped the small red switch, something like a SWAT team, with lots of banging and yelling and gunfire. She knew she'd pressed the switch too early, it was at least half an hour before sunset but her husband was still unconscious and the girl, Lilith, was dead. Had been dead for hours, in fact, and the blanket that she had covered the body with did nothing to hide that fact.

The thought of the vampires awaking again, combined with having spent the day failing to fall asleep because she was in the company of a dead body, was just too much. If there was hope of a rescue, she needed it now, before she lost her sanity completely.

As the slivers of daylight got higher and fainter on the wall, she finally began to cry.

There was no help coming. No rescue. No end to the torment, other than death.

She had lost a lot of blood and had been awake for over 24 hours so despite her fear, as the daylight was about to fade completely, she finally fell asleep, but she had barely slept for five minutes when she was awoken once again. This time it wasn't a nightmare that had robbed her of sleep though, it was gun shots.

* * *

With hoodies, baseball caps and dark glasses, Eve and Adam had left the house as soon as they dared, while it was still light, heading for the coordinates on the GPS tracker. They were well fed on the remainder of the blood Adam had purchased the other night, meaning they were at full strength and would heal from any minor burns or other injuries caused by the fading sunlight.

The sun was almost below the horizon when they got to the location and they left the car on the road and kept to the shade of the trees to surveil the house.

"Here." Adam handed Eve the gun.

"You keep it, I'm stronger than you are."

He didn't argue. "So what's the plan?"

"We'll go in separate entrances. If he's still keeping his followers underfed, chances are they're slow to rise, so we have the advantage. He probably has no more than ten followers with him; only one, maybe two will be well fed and pose a real threat, so incapacitate if you can, no heart shots or beheading unless absolutely necessary."

Adam checked the magazine clip, which held fifteen rounds.

"Ready?" Eve asked.

"Ready."

"Front or back."

"Dealers choice."

"I'll take the back," Eve decided.

They turned to each other and shared a tender kiss.

"Be careful," Adam implored.

"Always. You too."

"I will. Let's hope Elric's already sick, he's had about a day for the infection to take hold and he's the single biggest threat."

"Agreed."

"Then let's go."

He gave Eve a one second head start, then ran to the front door, kicking it in.

"Lay down on the floor and surrender!" he yelled as he began to go room to room. He hoped that with their leader sick, they would obey to try to save themselves, but they didn't.

Of the two that attacked him though, they were both weak and two shots to each of their legs incapacitated them. He continued to search for Lilith, taking care in case there were any more waiting to attack him.

He moved onto the upper level and kicked open the doors, one by one. Eve was working from the opposite end of the house, having taken the back stairs. Only the third door was locked, and he knew even before it opened, that this was where he would find Lilith.

The two cowering in the corner flinched as the door slammed into the wall but they weren't vampires and were no threat to him. The only other thing in the room was a body covered with a blanket. Wary of a vampire masquerading there, he kept the gun trained on the form as with a shaking hand, he pulled the blanket back.

He knew before he saw though; seeing her was just the final straw.

The gun fell from his hands as he fell to his knees, like a marionette with it's strings cut.

"No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no." Tears clouded his vision as he grasped her hand. "Oh, Lilith, you silly, foolish girl. We would have found another way. Why couldn't you trust us to kill him? You're human, you're weak, you're… this wasn't even your fight."

He pulled her body into his arms and began to rock her back and forth, tears streaming down his face.

Why her? Why now? They should have had centuries together, maybe even a millennia or two. It was too soon. Far too soon.

After a long silence, punctuated only by his sobs, the woman in the room spoke up, her fear causing her to stutter.

"Um… M- Mister?"

Adam didn't respond.

"A- are you A- Adam?"

Finally he looked up, wiping tears from his eyes with the heel of his hand.

"I am."

"She t-told me to tell you that she's s- sorry, and she loves you. Y- you and a woman called Eve."

Right now, those words felt like a knife to his heart and it was all he could do to nod his understanding.

He continued to rock Lilith, then he remembered that she wouldn't like him being rude to humans. ' _What does it hurt to be polite?_ ' he could almost hear her chiding him. 

"Thank you." He managed to choke.

The woman nodded, but remained huddled in the corner.

Eve appeared in the doorway and took in the scene before her.

"Lilith?" she asked, her eyes imploring Adam to tell her something other than the truth.

"I'm sorry," was the only answer he could give.

Eve made her way over, embracing both of them as her tears flowed freely.

"Oh, my darling girl, it was supposed to be me who died, not you."

"You knew?" Adam asked her, incredulously.

"I knew something bad was coming, I could feel it, but I didn't know what or how."

"So you brought us together so she could what? Replace you?"

"No, darling, I brought you together because she was perfect for you, but I was prepared to die if it meant keeping you two safe. I'm sorry, I never foresaw this." Eve wiped her eyes. "I would never have willingly let this happen. I would have killed Elric or died trying, rather than lose her."

Adam wiped his eyes. "Did her plan work at least? Did she kill that son of a bitch?"

"Nearly, she also infected one of his lieutenants; he's already dead, Elric will be dead within the hour, unless we shoot him."

Adam laid Lilith down and began to arrange her hair.

Eve turned her attention to the other people in the room.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

The woman nodded.

"What about him?" Eve nodded to the man who was curled up on the floor.

"He's sleeping."

"Are you sure he isn't comatose?"

"No." A head shake. "He's woken up a couple of times."

Adam noticed that she sounded less frightened than when she had first spoken to him.

"Good." Eve smiled kindly. "That means he probably hasn't lost enough blood to do any permanent damage. I'm sorry for what was done to you but please believe me, you're safe now."

"You really aren't like them, are you?"

"Like Elric? No. Elric was evil as a human, and he was evil after the change."

"She said you were good people. She said she loved you."

"And we loved her." Eve smiled, although her eyes were shining with tears.

"She told me to say she was sorry."

"Thank you." 

"It- it was peaceful, you know, she just went to sleep, and she told me that she was ready for it. I sat with her until… well… She didn't suffer for long."

"When did she die?"

"This morning, I think."

"This morning," Eve repeated."Can you be a little more specific?"

"I'm sorry, I don't know when, I don't have a watch at the moment. It was hours ago, at least four, maybe eight."

Eve turned back to Lilith and took her hand. "Adam."

"She looks peaceful, doesn't she?" he said.

"No, Adam, look." She raised Lilith's arm and held her hand up, straightening her fingers out.

"I don't-"

"Rigor mortis, Adam, she died hours ago but she hasn't gone into rigor mortis." Eve ripped one of her gloves off and touched Lilith's cheek. "She isn't cold either. How is this possible? The blood you gave her should have left her system already. I don't understand."

Adam looked stumped for a moment. "She bit me." He finally said softly.

"What?"

"When we made love, she bit me! Hard enough to break the skin. That's got to be it. She's turning." He looked awed. "She's coming back to us, Eve. She's coming back to us!"

They hugged over her body, holding each other tightly as the new reality set in. Lilith wasn't dead, at least not until three days had passed and she didn't awaken.

When they finally separated, they were both smiling.

Eve looked to the woman in the corner. "Would it be all right if we moved her to one of your other bedrooms? We'll move her to our home tomorrow."

The woman nodded.

"Thank you." She turned to Adam. "Will you look after her for a while?" Eve asked.

"Of course I will."

Eve got up and approached the couple, her hand out to the woman to help her up. "Come with me, you need some rest, then we have a lot to talk about."

The woman looked at her hand with trepidation.

"I'm Eve by the way. And you are?"

"I'm Annie, this is my husband, Frank."

"Very pleased to meet you, Annie. You look exhausted, so let's move you and your husband somewhere comfortable, where you can sleep on a real bed."

Annie took her hand and stood up. Eve then gathered Frank in her arms and they left the room.

Adam gently took Lilith into his arms, holding her close as he rose to his feet with a feline grace. He wasn't quite able to believe that she was coming back yet, and he wished that the change was quicker.

* * *

Eve settled the humans in a bedroom and left them to sleep. She begged Annie not to call the police but to wait for Eve to awaken the following evening, when she would explain everything. Annie agreed but Eve waited with her until she felt asleep. She hoped that with all the blood loss they had endured, she and her husband would sleep soundly for many hours. Just in case, she barricaded their door when she left; it would frighten them but at the same time, she couldn't risk the husband awakening and phoning an ambulance or the police.

Next she ushered the three surviving vampires into a room downstairs. Their wounds weren't healing quickly because they were so underfed. They all seemed shell shocked and Eve was betting that their injuries and the promise of blood would keep them there.

Adam had called his supplier before they left Lilith's house and reserved a lot of blood, three times the volume of his first order. The funds had been transferred and Eve would collect it soon but before she left, she stopped into see Adam and Lilith.

Adam had moved her into another guest room and sat on a chair beside the bed, holding her hand.

"Any change?" Eve asked as he came in.

"None yet. It's too soon, but we have another problem."

"Oh?"

"She's infected with Hep T. Even if she turns, she'll have the virus. She'll die again."

Eve was silent as she approached the bed, considering the point.

"Perhaps not. She has been vaccinated, so perhaps she will keep that immunity after the change."

"Is that even possible?"

"I've never seen an immune human turned, but I'd say it's more than possible. I see no reason why her antigens shouldn't survive the transformation. We must have hope."

Adam nodded and turned back to Lilith.

"Besides, surely if the virus was dangerous to her, wouldn't she be showing signs already?" Eve asked. "It's been hours since she died and the transformation began."

"We don't show signs like a fever or rash, we just die, slowly and painfully."

"Has her temperature dropped at all?"

"Not that I can tell."

"Then she isn't dying. Be optimistic, Adam, just for once?" she teased.

He nodded and smiled slightly. "I'll try."

"The humans are sleeping next door and the vampires are in the dining room. I need to collect the blood but when I get back, we need to discuss what happens next."

Adam nodded and Eve worried about his ability to remain positive in her absence.

"You've been up all day and are dead on your feet, darling, why don't you try to sleep?"

"So have you," he reminded her.

"And I'll sleep as soon as I'm finished."

"Same here."

"Fine." She pursed her lips. "There's a wonderful library downstairs, why don't you find something and read it to her?"

"She can't hear."

"We don't know that. Even if your words only reach her on a subliminal level, it would still comfort her."

He nodded slowly. "Good idea."

* * *

Eve got the blood with no problems but dropped most of it off at Lilith's house, worried that the temptation would be too much for some of Elric's followers. Ava was long gone, probably having left as soon as night fell. Eve was disappointed that once again, she had avoided responsibility for her actions but she was also glad that Ava was still alive. Given her duplicity and now that Lilith was safe, Eve had no doubt that Adam would kill her the second he saw her but as much as she hated what Ava had done, she still loved her sister.

Eve returned with a litre of blood for each of the three remaining vampires, who were underfed but not starving. It should be more than enough to help them heal and sate their hunger. With regular meals, they would be back to full strength in no time.

Before she left them, she explained that Elric had lied to them but if they were willing, she would help them, show them how to live independently, without Elric. It seemed that fear had kept most of them with him, not loyalty, and they agreed.

She asked them to tidy the house once they were finished eating and then rest until the following night.

Once they had been fed, she went to see Adam. Although it wasn't yet midnight, he had fallen asleep beside Lilith, a copy of Jane Eyre resting on his stomach.

She smiled as she enjoyed the image of him sleeping, then climbed onto the bed beside him, resting her head on his shoulder as she finally slept.

* * *

Lilith awoke in her own bed, wrapped in Adam's embrace and for a moment, she almost thought that the events at Elric's house had been a dream. She had died, after all, yet she wasn't dead, so it must have been a dream.

Then she heard a blackbird singing, clear as day despite the soundproof triple glazing on her house. That wasn't normal.

"How are you?"

His voice made her jump and she raised her head to look at him.

"What's going on?"

"Elric's dead, you did it."

She frowned in confusion. "Why aren't I dead?"

"You bit me, darling, the night before you left, remember? You died with my blood in your system."

She considered that for a moment. "So… I'm a vampire now?"

He nodded, looking as serious as the grave that she had miraculously escaped.

"Are you all right with that?"

She blew out a long puff of air. "Better than the alternative, I suppose. I just… this is a lot to take in."

She had tears in her eyes, of both relief and happiness, and she cuddled into him.

"Well, you have all the time in the world," he said, stroking her hair. "Take as long as you need."

"I've never bitten anyone before, I've hardly ever even given someone a hickey," she said after a few moments.

"It all worked out for the best," he reminded her.

"I know, but is it more than that?" She raised her head from his chest and clasped his hand. "Eve said that you and I were fated to meet. When I realised that Ava was helping Elric, that I could kill him with some Hep T, and that you and Eve still knew nothing about Ava, it almost felt like something was helping me to kill him and save you both. Now, after surviving something I know that I shouldn't have, I can't help but wonder if there _is_ such a thing as destiny or fate. What if all of this was preordained?"

"I think we make our own destiny," Adam assured her. "But it wouldn't surprise me if every now and then, things line up to make it possible for us to accomplish the impossible. However fate, if there is such a thing, only opens the door, it's up to us to walk through it."

"That's a beautiful way to put it," she smiled.

"Thank you, darling."

She frowned. "Who's going to feed you and Eve now?"

He couldn't help but smile. "You're a surprise vampire and all you can think about, is who is going to feed us?"

She shrugged but looked a little contrite. "Yeah, I guess that isn't the main thing to focus on right now."

She sat up suddenly, looking around. "Where is Eve?"

"Relax, love, she's fine." Adam say up and placed calming hand on her back. "Thanks to you, we encountered very little resistance."

"So she's alive?"

"Alive and well and taking care of the underlings who survived, and the humans they were keeping captive."

Lilith took a few deep breaths to try and calm herself, while Adam's hand continued to stroke her back in a soothing rhythm.

"Are you hungry?" Adam asked.

"I don't know."

"What does that mean?"

"I crave something, but it doesn't feel like hunger, not like the hunger used to feel. It feels more like low blood sugar or something."

"That will pass once you eat."

She nodded her understanding. "If it's okay then, I think I'd quite like to eat."

"Of course, come on." He didn't bother to dress but just pulled a dressing gown on, handing her his spare robe.

* * *

They settled in the living room with a container of blood and two small glasses, and Lilith nervously twisted her hands together as he filled both glasses.

"So, what happened, exactly?" she asked.

"There's time for all that later, after you've fed. Here," he handed her a glass but she didn't take it.

"And Elric's really dead?"

"Yes. We put his body in the garden just before dawn and I watched him turn to ash."

Lilith still didn't take the proffered glass.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I don't know. It just feels… strange. I know the effect this can have on your guys and… well, I'm not an alcoholic or anything, but I did used to misuse drink when I was younger, to give me courage and kill the pain; they call it self-medicating. And I've heard people say that heroin is so good, all it takes is one hit to get you addicted. What if this is like heroin to someone like me?"

"Darling, if you don't eat, you'll die. Just sip it slowly, see how you go."

"What if I'm like Ava?"

"You won't be, you care far too much to ever hurt anyone."

She stared at the glass, as if hypnotised by it.

"Lilith, do you trust me?"

She looked into his eyes and after a brief hesitation, she nodded.

"Then trust that I know what's best in this situation, and that I would never let you hurt anyone."

She swallowed down her fears and accepted the glass. Tentatively, she took a sip.

"Oh my God, that's good." She closed her eyes.

"Drink it all," he urged.

"I will." She took another, longer sip.

"Finish it."

"I will. For God's sake, just let me do it in my own time. It's my first time," she said with a smirk. "Let me savour my first time."

"All right, fine." He held his hands up in surrender.

The fact that she knew he had raised his hands, even though her eyes were closed, didn't go unnoticed by her.

She felt the euphoria come on, seeping into her extremities first, making her feel as light as helium. She finished her glass and the weightless feeling seeped deeper into her body.

Adam took the glass from her and a few moments later, put it to her lips again.

"Just a little more, darling, for your first meal."

She was beyond arguing and dutifully sipped slowly as he tilted the glass up.

"How do you feel?" he asked her as he reached for his glass and downed the contents quickly.

"Like I'm flying, floating on air."

"Do you like it?"

"Mmm, it's lovely."

"If you think that's lovely, you should try this."

Then he was kissing her and she was in his arms and she wasn't flying alone.

"My God," she whispered in between kisses.

"Mmm."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked that. Now, just one more chapter to go!


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs used in this chapter: 
> 
> Dream a Little Dream of Me by Mama Cass
> 
> Fever by Peggy Lee
> 
> Mercedes Benz by Janis Joplin
> 
> In My Defence by Queen
> 
> More Than Words by Extreme
> 
> Music by John Miles

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

When she finally came down from the combined blood and sex high, she was lying naked on the rug in front of the fire, her legs tangled with Adam's.

"Kill me now," she murmured.

"Explain?" He could hear the smile in her voice but he didn't understand her words. Truth be told, he was still worried that she might having difficulty coming to terms with the unplanned change.

"Well it can't get better than that, right, so take me now and I'll die happy."

"You shouldn't joke about things like that," he chided.

"Don't be so superstitious."

"I'm not, I just don't believe in tempting fate, especially after I thought we'd lost you."

"Fine." She raised her head off his chest. "Touch wood." With a cheeky grin, she touched her fingers to his head.

Adam narrowed his eyes at her cheek and Lilith giggled.

"Besides, it does get better than this," he assured her. "For example, doing that under the stars while swimming in the warm water off the Maldives. High altitude also hightens the experience, then of course, there's the danger of doing it in public, with the risk of being discovered heightening every sensation. There are a thousand and one ways to make that better."

"Okay, okay, I'm sold; don't kill me now, apparently I have a lot more sex to have before I'm ready to go."

Adam laughed. "So, you feel all right?"

"I feel great," she said, stretching.

"Still craving blood?"

She considered for a moment. "No, I don't think so."

"Can you smell that?"

She sniffed, then looked around and when she spotted the source on her coffee table, her pupils expanded.

"It smells nice."

"Do you want it?"

She considered her reply. "Yes… but I don't need it."

"There, see? Just a few hours old and already no problems with control. You'll be fine."

"We should put it away before it spoils."

"Good idea," he agreed. He moved to the sofa as he opened the flask and carefully poured the blood back in. "You might be tempted if you come across someone who's injured in public but that's quite rare and honestly, even if you were starving, I don't think you'd pose a risk to anyone."

He got up to take the flask back.

"Adam?"

He turned back.

"Thank you."

"What for?"

"Taking care of me."

He harrumphed. "Is now a good time to tell you that if you ever do anything so foolish again, I won't be coming to help you?"

Lilith got off the floor and put her arms around him; he could tell that she didn't believe him and he didn't put his arms around her.

"I mean it, I'm not running after someone with a death wish."

"I knew there was a risk you'd both hate me, but I thought it was better that you be around to hate me, than die loving me. I'd do it again in a heartbeat if it kept you and Eve safe," she said. "And don't even try to tell me you wouldn't do the same, you were burning yourself just to test sunblock for me."

She had a point and almost despite himself, his arms wrapped around her.

"Eve admitted she was planning to sacrifice herself for the both of us," he admitted.

"See. We just have to hope that we never encounter someone like him again."

"Did he hurt you?"

She tilted her head up to look at him. "No. he planned to but he didn't have time."

Adam cupped her face and ran his thumb over her cheekbone. "Despite your kamikaze attitude, you found his weakness; he believed humans are inferior and no threat to him. You died to save us, and I am as proud of you as I am upset with you for what you did."

Lilith smiled. "Then let that be a lesson to you on the value of humanity. We have out faults, but we're capable of extraordinary things, especially to protect those we love."

"Let's go out," Adam said.

"I want to hear what happened," she told him. "How Eve is."

"We can talk on the way. Does Riley's have an Open Mic night tonight?"

"Uh, what day is it?"

"Friday."

"Yeah, but… Wait, you're suggesting we go out; are you sure you aren't a pod person?"

"A what?"

"A pod person. You know, like Invasion of the Body Snatchers?"

"Right, but no, I'm not a 'pod person'."

"Good," she grinned. "Because after saving your arse, I'd really hate to have to kill you."

"I just thought you must have a touch of cabin fever by now, after being cooped up inside for so long but if you don't want to."

"No, I do."

Adam smiled. "Come on, let's get ready."

"Are you sure no one will notice any difference in me?"

"I'm certain," he assured her.

* * *

Lilith emerged from her room, dressed and ready to go. She'd have to move her things into Adam's room soon, or his into her's, except she still didn't have a mattress on her bed yet.

"You're wearing makeup." Adam said.

"Yeah."

"We don't cast a reflection, how the hell did you apply it?"

Lilith smiled. "Yeah, that was tricky, and it going to be as annoying as hell, by the way. However, you- I mean, we do show up in pictures, so I turned my phone to the selfie picture setting and used the image on screen to apply my makeup." Her proud smile faded. "Why? Do you not like it?"

"My darling, I would love you even if you looked like a clown. As it happens, you look beautiful, I was just surprised, that's all."

"And I'm not letting my hair get like yours either."

"Uh huh." Adam didn't sound convinced.

"I mean it."

"Good luck with that." He smiled as he took in her whole outfit, black jeans, a burgundy blouse and black beaded bracelets. "Hm, there's something missing," he said.

Lilith looked down at herself. "What?"

"I don't know… Jewellery perhaps."

Her hand flew to her throat. "I have a few necklaces I could try."

"And a bracelet too."

She held her right wrist out, which had the beaded bands on.

"You left wrist is bare though."

"I'll check my jewellery box."

"No need, I have something that might work."

He reached into his inside coat pocket and withdrew a box.

Her heart sank at the idea that he had bought her jewellery. She had loads of jewellery, gold, silver, platinum, precious and semiprecious gemstones. She hardly ever wore any of it because they had no nice memories associated with them. Jewellery was that you gave to say 'I love you', instead to taking the time to actually love someone.

As she accepted the box, she didn't suddenly doubt Adam's feelings for her, but she hoped this wasn't going to replace his caring gestures. Hesitantly, she opened the decorative box and found two large beads and coiled leather strips. She picked one bead up and saw it was carved into the shape of a white skull.

"This is your necklace," she said.

"Not quite." His pulled his out from under his shirt and she could see that his white charm had now been joined by a red charm.

"You made ones for me?"

"I did, while you were sleeping. And I carved Eve and I red ones, made from Carnelian, or _corneolus_ , which comes from the Latin for the cornel cherry, because of the colour. Well, Eve's isn't finished, I said we'd go and see her tomorrow with the charm and some more blood for her new charges."

"It's beautiful," she said, holding it up to better see the detail. "A little sinister but beautiful." She held the black one up and Adam took the box back, removing the leather strips.

"You can wear them both on one band, or one around your neck and one on your wrist.

"One of each," she answered.

She looked up and plucked the longer length of leather from his fingers, then handed him the white stone. While she threaded the black bead onto the strip, he did the same with the white skull, then tied it onto her left wrist when he was finished.

She handed him the necklace. "Do you mind?"

"It's my pleasure," he said and she turned around and held her hair up while he tied it. She leaned back against him when he was finished, and his arms encircled her waist.

"Now you always have us with you, and we'll have a reminder of you."

"Thank you, Adam, I love them. And I love that you made them."

He pressed a kiss to her neck, making her moan.

"If you keep that up, we'll never make it to the club."

"You're right. You're just too delicious to resist."

She turned her head enough to kiss him properly, then then separated. He held her coat out for her to slip her arms into, then presented her with burgundy gloves, which matched her coat.

Once his own gloves were on, he slung the gig bag over his shoulder, which housed a guitar and violin, then he offered her his arm.

"Shall we walk?" he asked.

"Yeah, we've got time, besides, I want to know what happened." She grasped his elbow and they left the house.

The front flood light was turned off but now that the danger was over, he would have to remove the phosphorus coated glass plates, so they didn't accidentally get burned while going outside.

"So," Lilith began. "What happened to Ava?"

"She left; I'm actually hoping you can explain why. We figured out that she knew something but before we got details from her, your GPS tracker was activated."

Lilith told him what she knew, the clues she had put together, from being watched tp Ava's return to the house, then she explained what Ava had told her, although it was far from the full picture.

"Eve will be pleased to hear she was acting under duress, but hurt by her duplicity," Adam noted.

"Do you think Ava will come around again?" Lilith asked.

"Probably. It may take a few hundred years, but she's like a bad penny, always turning up eventually."

"And Annie and Frank, are they okay?"

"They're fine. Once they agreed to keep our secret, Eve gave them a choice; stay human, or change. They chose to change, so they should awaken sometime this evening."

"Really? After everything they'd been through?"

"Probably because of everything they'd been through. Now they're no longer our prey."

Lilith nodded. "It pretty much guarantees they'll keep the secret too."

"That it does."

"And they're all right with the other vampires, the ones who fed from them?"

"I wouldn't say 'all right', at least not before the change, but Elric's underlings are all very uncertain now and taking their cues from Eve, so they're well controlled. Eve is prepared for a few revenge fights once the Wards awaken. You know Eve though, if anyone can calm things down, she can."

"What if Elric's minions don't want to stay with Eve?"

"They don't have to, they aren't prisoners but they are naïve to our ways. Most gave up their homes and their families for Elric, so they have nothing to go to, and they have few survival skills. As long as Eve feeds them, they'll probably stay with her."

"Probably?"

"Those who don't mind killing might leave but the three who are alive, they all seem very nice, if perhaps a little innocent, people, not cold blooded killers."

"So how long will they stay with Eve?"

"That's up to them. Personally I think a few years would be good, help them deprogram and recover. She's going to buy a house for them in Glasgow in a few week's time, so they're independent from us but we're on hand should Eve need help. Plus, Glasgow is larger and will have more sources to procure blood."

"What happens if Annie and Frank don't want to leave?"

"Then they become our responsibility. Honestly, of them all, Annie and Frank should be the easiest to mentor."

"What about their family?"

"Their sons live in London and Australia, so that isn't too much of an issue, for now. They're retired, so they have no work to worry about and they can still see their friends at night, although dinner parties might be off the adjenda."

"And… don't you want to be with her… help her?" he could hear the hesitation in her voice.

"Even is more the mothering kind than I am."

"But you're stuck mothering me."

Adam laughed. "Darling, you don't need mothering, you need worshiping."

He put his arm around her shoulder and her's naturally fell around his waist. She was beginning to understand why Adam and Eve always seemed to hang off one another. She had thought that she would feel crowded by so much regular physical contact, and with most people, she would but with Adam, it was like they were orbiting each other, pulled together by an invisible gravitational force.

She felt no fear as they walked tonight. Adam was right, she wasn't prey any more, now she was the predator.

* * *

Once at the bar, Lilith got involved in conversation with one of her friends, so Adam offered to speak to Riley and reserve her two sets. He had agreed to help her but he had declined to perform on his own. He also ordered two bottles of water and found them a small table. He took the guitar and violin out and checked they were still tuned. Once sure, he put them back in their cases and leaned them against the wall.

Lilith joined him sooner than he expected and sat beside him.

The bar filled up quickly as they chatted and Lilith was approached by a few people. She removed her sunglasses now they were inside, although Adam told her that the spotlights on the stage would probably hurt her eyes.

She said she would see and would put them on if needed. If anyone asked, Adam advised the excuse that she had a headache coming on. Most people knew how much she disliked taking pills.

"Am I starting?" she asked.

"Not tonight, Riley had a band who take a while to set up; they're going first so they don't hold things up later."

"Hey, Lili?"

She looked up to see the three members of High Rise, an alternative rock group. She had produced a single for them about six months ago but they had yet to get their act together, by which she meant, stay off drugs for long enough to write something decent that she could produce and turn into a decent song.

"Hey guys. This is my friend Adam; Adam, this is Bo, X and Spike." She pointed too each in turn.

Greetings were exchanged, then Lily got down to brass tacks.

"How's the music coming?"

"Really great!" Bo said. "We, like, hit this sweet spot and things are just flowing. I was hoping you'd have time to see us sometime soon."

Lili narrowed her eyes at them. "Are you clean?"

"Nothing but a little weed and booze, man, I swear."

She looked but couldn't see any signs of drug use, such as tremors, impaired speech, or constricted or dilated pupils.

"Roll up your sleeves?" she told them and each band member pulled their clothing up above their elbow. There were no track marks. Granted, they could inject elsewhere, but she was willing to trust them for now.

"Okay, I want to hear three new songs tonight and if they're any good, I'll arrange a time for you to come over and lay down some tracks."

"Cool! Oh, man, that is so cool!"

"You haven't played yet," she reminded them. "I might hate it."

"You won't," Bo promised. "This stuff is _really_ good."

And she _really_ hoped she didn't have to burst their bubble. "We'll see."

"Say, can we pull another chair up and sit with you two, we've been, like, setting up and forgot to grab a table."

"Don't bother with the chair," Adam said, since there were few spare and adding one would block the walkway. He raised a questioning eyebrow at Lilith.

She knew exactly what he had in mind and it sounded perfect to her. "Sure."

She sat on his lap and kissed him.

The band exchanged looks as they sat down, never having seen Lili bring a man along, or even show any interest before.

"So, Adam, do you like music?" Bo asked. He was pretty much the groups spokesman since his band mates were usually to shy or too high to speak much.

"Very much."

"You must have missed him last time," Lili said. "He's collaborating with me on a song."

"Wow, cool. So are you playing?"

"He's helping me but he isn't doing a solo set," Lilith explained.

"Too bad, I'd love to hear you sometime."

"Adam's going to be sticking around for a while, so I'm sure you'll get a chance."

High Rise were the first act, so they were soon called to the stage and both Adam and Eve listened intently.

"They have potential," Adam said.

"They do. Their first single got to number fifteen in the rock chart, which is damn good for an indie band."

"They can't get signed?"

"Even if they weren't druggies, who can get signed these days?" she asked rhetorically, bobbing her head in time with the music. "It's raw but I think I can work with this. That last line in the chorus is a great hook."

"Hmm," Adam agreed. "Did you know you frown when you concentrate, and it is terribly distracting."

Lilith turned to him, smiling. "Is it?"

"Yes. Now kiss me."

"With pleasure."

They soon turned their attention back to the band, both aware that if things got too hot and heavy between them, they might be tempted to give these people an x-rated show.

"I didn't know you were so anti-drug," Adam said.

"I'm not, people who want to will always find ways to self-destruct and who am I to stop them?"

"But you said-"

"I only work with clean artists, yeah, but that's only because druggies tend to waste my time. I've worked with a couple of people who showed real talent and I went out of my way to help them despite their drug use, then they both pissed on my hard work and threw it all away. I decided then, no more hard drug users."

When their set was over, High Rise returned to the table.

"So, what did you think?" Bo asked as they sat down. "It's good, right?"

"It has potential," Lilith admitted. "But I want you all to stay clean, or the deal's off."

"Agreed," Bo smiled.

"Okay, come by next Wednesday, after five, and we'll make a start." Since she'd met Eve, she usually scheduled bands to come in at night and most musicians seemed to prefer that, some because they enjoyed the party scene, others because they were holding down day jobs.

"Yes!" they high fived each other and although Lilith was tempted to warn them that the hard work had only just begin, she didn't. Let them have their moment of joy.

Lilith was the fourth act this evening and she began with Dream a Little Dream of Me, accompanied only by her guitar, then she moved on to Fever, accompanied by a member of the string Quartet on his cello and she finished with Mercedes Benz, sung without accompaniment. Her performance seemed to be about minimalism, making good music with very little (only one or no instruments) and she succeeded, which in his eyes was proof positive that she was talented.

"So where did you meet Lili?" Bo asked Adam as they listened to her set.

"Through a mutual friend." He didn't look away from the stage.

"So have you been together long?"

"Not long at all."

"You're a lucky guy, man, she's hot."

Adam finally tore his gaze away from the stage to glare. "She's a lot more than that."

"Oh, yeah, yeah, I meant no disrespect, man, I'm just saying, you know, you've got yourself a catch there."

"I'm well aware of that, thank you." His tone was dismissive and when he looked back to the stage, Bo didn't bother him again.

When Lilith left the stage, Adam rose to meet her, kissing her passionately.

"Wow," she said, when he let her up for air. "What was that for?"

He smirked. "For teasing me with Fever. You had to know it would drive me wild."

Her answering grin confirmed his suspicions.

"You're lucky I didn't rugby tackle you to the stage while you sang."

"Just as long as you promise to do so when we get home."

* * *

Bo and his band watched as for her second set, Lilith and Adam performed one of his rock songs, followed by In My Defence.

Lilith was about to announce the third song, but Adam beat her to the microphone.

"For those of you who don't know, I'm Adam, Lili's partner. I normally eschew performing alone, I haven't done it for-" centuries "years; I prefer to stay in the background, but Lili recently did something for me that just defied all expectations and I've been looking for a way to show her how much I appreciate what she did, so… this is it."

He placed a chair at the front of the stage, picked up the acoustic guitar in one hand, took Lilith's hand in the other and led her to the front of the stage. She looked confused as he sat down, and even more perturbed as he pulled her sideways onto his lap. He placed the guitar on her lap and snaked her hand around her waist to reach the neck.

It was such a cool trick that Bo was determined to find a way to work that into their stage show at some point, perhaps choosing a random audience member each night. It could be their signature or something.

Adam began playing More Than Words, an acoustic rock ballad from the 1990s and Bo had to admit, the man was talented. He would give his right eye for one tenth of his or Lilith's talent.

_"Saying I love you, is not the words I want to hear from you. It's not that I want you, not to say, but if you only knew, how easy it would be to show me how you feel. More than words, is all you have to do to make it real. Then you wouldn't have to say, that you love me, 'cos I'd already know."_

As he reached the chorus, Lilith began to harmonise with him

On stage, their gazes were locked as he played and sang to Lili and straight up, it was one of the most moving things that Bo had ever seen. Those two seriously only had eves for each other, almost as if the rest of the universe ceased to exist. Bo would be willing to bet that even if he stood up and heckled the pair right now, they wouldn't even notice.

Not that he would. Bo might be a rocker but he appreciated good music of all types, and would never disrespect a talented musician. Well, not unless he was high.

Spike tapped his shoulder and when he looked around, he could see that Spike and X mirrored his engrossed expression, their fingers tapping along to the music on the table top.

Bo looked around to see that everyone seemed enthralled, toes were tapping, couples were holding each other closer and even the bar staff seemed to have paused in service to watch.

Lili and Adam played on, seemingly oblivious to everything but each other.

* * *

Lilith didn't plan to sing the chorus with him but it just happened, naturally. Another one of those inexplicable connections they shared.

_"All that you have to do, is close your eyes, and just reach out your hands, and touch me, hold me close don't ever let me go. More than words, is all I ever needed you to show, then you wouldn't have to say that you love me, 'cos I'd already know."_

Lilith gazed into Adam's eyes as he sang, but she felt as if she was looking into his soul. Tears stung her eyes at some points, just because of the raw emotion he was conveying. She had never seen him so vulnerable before, and she loved that he trusted her enough to be so exposed with her.

It wasn't until near the end of the song that she realised, they had never said those three words to each other but as soon as she resolved to tell him, she dismissed the idea.

His song was right, they didn't need words to know how they felt about each other.

When he did finish, he kissed her, softly, almost reverently, and she responded in kind.

"I think we'd better skip out now," she whispered.

"Why?"

"Because you are about to get very lucky, and neither of us can afford to be arrested for public acts of indecency."

He grinned. "You say the sweetest things."

Lilith laughed and as Adam released her from the circle of his arms, she became aware of the crowd clapping for the first time. The few whistles and catcalls from the audience made her blush.

Riley came up on stage, grinning, and shook Adam's hand, before handing the chair to one of his assistants and readjusting the mic.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I really want to know what a woman can do that can make a guy that crazy for her," Riley said, and the crowd hollered its agreement. "Now I suddenly have the strangest urge to wear sunglasses at night."

They headed back to their table and Bo stood up to applaud them. "Man, that was hot. Capital h, o, t."

"Thank you," Adam answered serenely.

"So what did she do?" he asked.

"She saved my life," Adam answered, knowing that the question would be asked until they had an answer. "At great personal risk."

"And he saved mine," she added. "Anyway, we're gonna take off. Call me if anything changes for Wednesday, okay?"

"Sure thing, and thanks again, Lili. It was great to meet you too, Adam."

"Likewise," he answered, but with nary an ounce of the passion Bo spoke with.

They made their way outside just as the next act began playing and Adam surprised Lilith by pressing her up against the wall as he claimed a fiery kiss.

"I'm not sure I can wait until we get home," he confessed.

Lilith grinned as she looked around, checking the coast was clear. "You'll have to catch me first," she said, using her new speed and agility to escape his clutches and run for home.

Her musical laugh taunted Adam to follow and although he was more experienced using this gift and therefore faster, he allowed her to lead until she got home. He caught up with her in the living room, the remote control for her music system clutched in her hand as he rugby tackled her to the floor, claiming another kiss.

A song called _Music_ began to play in the background, an avant-garde piece from the 1970s that Adam knew well.

"Dance with me," Lilith said as the kiss ended, and Adam smiled. Getting to his feet, he offered her his hand to help her up, then pulled her into his embrace.

 _Music_ was a collection of segments, varying in style and tempo, from glam rock, to futuristic science fiction, to rock music, all held together by a slow melodic chorus that all music lovers could relate to.

Adam held her close, then spun her around when the tempo increased, finally pulling her close as the climax began.

Their eyes locked and time seemed to stand still as they gazed at each other, their playful mood evaporating.

What passed between them was impossible to describe but in that moment, not only did Lilith know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Adam was her soulmate, she was ready to admit it.

Keeping her eyes open and their gaze locked, she kissed him softly and as she pulled away she felt as if she was looking into the depths of his soul. He offered her a slight smile and she wrapped her arms around his back, resting her cheek against his shoulder.

" _Music was my first love, and it will be my last_ ," she sang along, silently amending that to 'music and Adam'.

Adam joined her on the next line, tightening his hold on her and pressing his cheek to the top of her head.

" _Music of the future, and music of the past. To live without my music, would be impossible to do. In this world of troubles, my music pulls me trough_."

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'If music be the food of love, play on.' Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare (1602)
> 
> AN: Well, that's the end of our journey, I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.


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